Riley's Forbidden Omega

Cherry Hollow #3

by Ki Brightly, Meg Bawden

Riley Sheridan has it all—loving family, college football career, and good looks. The only thing he’s missing is a relationship with the one person he can never have. As a teenager, Riley met Ambrose Whitlock precisely once and knew, without a doubt, that he wanted to be with him. The next time Riley saw Ambrose was at his alpha uncle’s wedding—as an omega groom.

Ambrose Whitlock-Harlow tried to love the husband his father arranged for him to marry, but Jacob was demanding, borderline cruel, and more focused on his political career than his young husband. Jacob leaves when, after several years, Ambrose doesn’t become pregnant.

One stormy night Ambrose’s life is turned upside down by Riley returning to town with an abandoned dog he found on the highway. Riley doesn’t know where to take the mutt, and Ambrose is well-known for his work at the local animal shelter. It doesn’t take Riley and Ambrose long to pick up the fragile relationship they started years ago.

The more time Riley and Ambrose spend together, the faster they fall in love. Not everyone approves, especially when Ambrose becomes pregnant with Riley’s child. The divorce isn’t official yet, and Jacob threatens to take away everything Riley and Ambrose built together.

This 92,000 word story is the third book in the Cherry Hollow Series.

Genres: M M Romance, M M Contemporary, Ebooks, Omegaverse

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 18, 2019

About the author

I spend most of my days writing, editing, and perfecting the craft of storytelling.

A note to readers: I don't hang out on Goodreads or social media, so if you have any questions about my books, please check out my website, which I host with M.D. Gregory.

Reviews

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Supposedly a sweet and tender romance, but in fact it was angstier than I expected. The MCs fell in love pretty quickly, or were in love already since their first meeting years ago, so there wasn't much development there, but the villains (both Ambrose's husband and his father) kept creating enough problems for them to keep the story going.
I just didn't care at all for the way omegas are portrayed in this omegaverse; I like my MCs with more attitude than Ambrose possessed.

All in all it was interesting, but not great.

[P Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ive read all three books in the Cherry Hollow Series but this was definitely my favourite.

Ambrose was so sweet and far too good for the likes of Jacob. Several colourful words came mind every time Jacob made an appearance. I wanted to kick the guy in the jewels and that probably wouldn’t have been enough. Jacob was emotionally abusive and certain things Ambrose said made me think it might have been physical too.

Riley was caring, sweet and amazing in general. His mum made me laugh when she teased him about Ambrose.

Riley and Ambrose were beautiful together. Ambrose’s wings were clipped by his parents/Jacob but with Riley he learns to fly and be free. Ambrose was insecure and emotionally damaged yet Riley helps him heal by simply being there and loving him.

Great addition to the series.

[Marjorie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

This is a awesome series! I hated what Ambrose had to go through with Jacob but I’m so happy he ended up with a wonderful Alpha like Riley. I can’t wait till the next book!

[Beaumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambrose is 3 years older than Riley. He met Riley when Riley was 13 and Ambrose was 16. Seven years later they fall for each other.

Be aware there’s discussion of recent past abuse by Jacob against Ambrose.

Thoughts:

I want a book about Zane the beefy football omega, please (I know this series has been over for like 5 years but I can dream).

I thought Riley and Ambrose were a very cute couple. They worked well together and seemed more like partners than the couple in book 2 (not that I disliked them but they were a bit bland for me). Trent (and Law I guess) will always be my favorite, followed by Lincoln, but this couple is enjoyable and I was happy Ambrose was able to grow into himself (he went from child to groom with no in between).

I LOVE that there’s oral birth control for sperm-producing people in this book! Holy crap do we need that all the time in real life! (I know it didn’t work in this book for Riley but that’s the whole plot so…). “We’re not two stupid guys who just jumped into a heat without thinking ahead.” Lol, ouch for books 1 and 2. But honestly it has to be so hard coming up with multiple ways to accidentally get pregnant in a series. I still salute the authors.
I do not love that every book has the obligatory “stay away from me with your penis forever you bastard” scene during birth. As someone who has assisted with many births, this just doesn’t happen outside of old movies. I do appreciate the authors just lean into anal birth. It’s not that much weirder than vaginal birth. Birth is just weird.

I like that Riley didn’t need to be in control every second during sex with Ambrose, especially when he learned that Ambrose felt trapped and panicky sometimes during sex when he didn’t have any control (due to Jacob’s abuse). Riley rolled with it and wanted to do whatever made Ambrose have a good time (which makes sense but isn’t always present in books…or real life).

I am here for Ambrose and Lincoln’s best friendship! I like that they don’t care about the age difference (Lincoln is in his 50s and Ambrose is 23). Their whole friendship is awesome!

Riley pulled a flirt and trip! Do we have another Kelly Cooper?

Still a few typos and awkward phrasing and hyperbole (ex: Riley’s mom isn’t just allergic to dogs, she has anaphylaxis related to them and “severe enough to be hospitalized sometimes.”) It’s just a lot sometimes. Also some weird and/or wrong word choices, like using snide instead of something like sly, and everyone was slamming or slapping their fists on their hips.

Jacob is disgusting. There’s no redeeming men who lust after children (he was into Ambrose when he was 16 and married him at that age when Jacob had been around 30). He’s a bully and a rapist. I’m glad Law socked him and Trent tossed him aside in book 1. Also Ambrose’s dad “teaching him (Ambrose) a lesson” by not helping when his husband abandoned him and wouldn’t pay bills like electricity when Ambrose was a CHILD (16) when he got married and so he had no work experience or college degree or funds of his own made me SO MAD. I appreciated Riley and the others agreed with me. Sometimes in books it’s “how sad, but that’s just the lot in life for women/omegas.” Not so here! Also the idea that Jacob wouldn’t let Ambrose work and then turned around and talked shit about him for it and told Trent “you’re hotter and you work for real” was some BS. Again, glad this is treated as such by the authors. I also don’t give a flying flip that Jacob’s first love Justin died in childbirth and then Jacob became a jerk in his sadness don’t care. Losing someone you love doesn’t automatically turn you into a rapist and a bully. I do get why he gave Riley up for adoption, it was the best thing he could do for the kid, but the rest is some BS. I appreciated no one forgave him for any of this, though they also didn’t treat it with quite the seriousness it deserved.

The antique shop descriptions had me in stitches. It was all “he’d shown Ambrose other very old items,” and vaguely mentioning things from WWII in such broad strokes it was basically no description except “old stuff.” Lol

I always like when brown eyes are described as attractive without using any food descriptors. Please no food descriptors.

“Having a husband is like having another child.” Dude, this is NOT endearing. Your husband is 20 years old than you. He was an adult when you were born. Not cute, no matter what the book says about Riley’s parents.

I like that they had a girl. So few stories have people having daughters. These authors seem to do that more in this series and I like it. I think usually daughters aren’t “heirs.”

“He was man-pretty today in a purple T-shirt and tight black pants.” What the fuck is “man-pretty?”

[Augura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been waiting since book #1 on Jacob's due. When I finished the first book, since I saw this on the queue, I thought it would be revealed here.

Oh boy, how wrong I was.

(Yeah, no, drunk & lost at mayor election isn't an "ending" for him. My instinct seeking for closure is tickled).

I haven't known what Jacob had asked Ambrose to do (where he claimed that he asked Ambrose to be more "au naturel").

I still haven't known what the clause that hinder Riley to announce his real relationship with Jacob (seriously, if you know a truth and it's a bad truth, you could blackmail him easily especially if Jacob is a politician -- a rising one at that. Riley doesn't have to give full truth, just enough for media and Jacob's supporters to suspect something and it's all set. Well, my point is, I don't know why it's there or what and I think it's just a point of convenience of the story.

And the solution. Jacob just had a change of heart and demanded more of Riley's time. Just... less believable to me. Why now? What changed? Dragon doesn't turn fluffy just because. Again, I think this is another point of convenience.

Don't get me wrong; I like HEA. I just like it more when the couple has earned it.

[IJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to have been reading a lot of books recently that just seemed to short in the sense that they were following a formula and ticking boxes and the stories felt undeveloped. That is not the case here. Ambrose and Riley first met as adolescents but due the plans and agendas of others ended up as in-laws as opposed to what they really wanted, each other. When Ambrose does not measure up to the baby making target set for him he ends up in no man land, no money, no husband as the useless one he had walks out. That is when Riley re-enters his life. This is the first time the two can explore that feeling they always had for each other. Their love for each other develops at a reasonable pace but then a surprise Ambrose ends up pregnant. Suddenly the two are not just juggling a new job, gestational diabetes in the case of Ambrose, school, football and money in the case of Riley but the re-newed interest of the ex and Ambrose's father now now that the commodity is finally delivering a baby. A well developed story that does not insult or short change the reader. A great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook edition

Poor Ambrose is such a sweetheart who got the short end of the stick. I felt so bad for all he went through. I'm just glad that when it counts, his friends were there for him. Riley might be an Alpha, but he was just adorable in his love for Ambrose. I love how Riley treated him with respect, involved Riley in decision making and care for him. Those helped Ambrose to heal from that toxic relationship from before. His and Riley's relationship progress perfectly without any rush. I was able to connect with them and rooting for it to work. Ambrose Ex and his Dad deserved to be shot. It would have been a 5 star except, the way Ambrose's father treated him was despicable. He literally paid that horrible man to marry his son! and for what? so Ambrose can live a miserable life! I hated the way that was resolved so points away for that. New narrator for me and will take some getting use to. Most of the time he sounded out of breath and that was very distracting, I was able to differentiate between Riley and Ambrose though. I enjoyed listening to this book and look forward to the rest. This audiobook was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it good to be an obedient child when parental interests don't meet yours? Riley meets Ambrose, 3 years younter on his way home from school after being bullied. There Ambrose learns his father promised him to Riley's uncle, Jacob in marriage. A few years later, Jacob leaves because Ambrose hasn't become pregnant. During all this time, Ambrose was attracted to Riley, but did as his father wanted and stayed loyal to his husband. Ambrose felt Riley in his soul. They secretly crush on each other. Riley's Mom knows about his crush. She is Jacob's sister. Jacob moved out of house he shared with Ambrose implying he was leaving money for approx 2 months expenses. He didn't. Jacob's spite and disrespect caused the innocent Ambrose many problems. Do Riley and Ambrose act on their attraction? Does Jacob divorce Ambrose? Will politically ambitious Jacob go quietly? Great story. Excellent characters. Riley's mom is a hoot. Nicely done! I received an ARC from Booksprout for a review.

[Patricia Hoffstaetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating, heartwarming MM/Mpreg romance & I enjoyed reading it. The characters are well-developed & react with believable & realistic emotional feelings to the situations they find themselves in. The story-line and plot is interesting, well-thought out & written.
There is: a ambitious father, a sweet omega (Ambrose Whilock) is married off in a arranged marriage to a cruel & political-focus man (Jacob Harlow) & after being abandoned by him gets involved with a caring man (Riley Sheridan) but Jacob is determined to destroy Ambrose’s & Riley’s happiness, some twists, drama, memories, embarrassment, emotional feelings, verbal banter, family issues, anguish, discovery, secrets, devious plans, confrontations, attempted manipulations, compromises, happiness, love, some steam & a beautiful happy conclusion.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley met Ambrose when they were in school. Then was there when Ambrose married his uncle. A few years later, Ambrose is in the process of divorce from Jacob. He meets up with Riley again. They start to develop a friendship. Then Ambrose goes through his heat and Riley says he;ll help him so no one else who may not be feasible gets him. Five weeks later after so much drama for Riley and Ambrose, Ambrose discovers he;s pregnant. On top of that his father wants to sell him to another alpha. Ambrose tells them no and he;ll see them in court. Now he;s got to try to tell Riley he;s pregnant and out wit Jacob and his folks. Life is too drama filled and his future rests on a thread.
Fantastic story about two people trying to find love and make a real family.
Fantastic story and read!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley and Ambrose met when one fateful day and bond over an injured bird. Ambrose’s world is changed that day when at 16 his father introduces him to his future husband the older Jacob who happens to also be Riley’s Uncle. Fast forward a number of years and Riley and Ambrose meet again under different circumstances. Jacob has left Ambrose and Riley sees his opportunity. What happens next is a series of twists and turns and heartfelt and heartbreaking moments. You just want it to work out but at times are not sure it can possibly happen. Add to that throughout the book you really start to dislike Jacob and Jordan (Ambrose’s father). If ever there were two unpleasant jerks it would be these two and thankfully despite them we have our happily ever after.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[K.R. Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.75 stars
🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 3.5
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration: 4.5

A beautiful and healing second-chance romance!

I loved this one! I felt it was more in-depth and serious than the previous Cherry Hollow stories and dealt with serious issues such as bullying, domestic violence, and consent. Ki and Meg approached these issues with such heart, care, and respect you can feel the love and growth of Ambrose as he discovers himself in this story and overcomes his past and stands up for himself and what he wants.

There were some surprising twists in this story and I loved every moment. I raged with Riley, cried with Ambrose and fell in love with them and their fur babies. I loved the whole story and feel like this might be the best Cherry Hollow couple yet! I loved that Ki & Meg didn’t shy away from the hardships Riley and Ambrose had to face, not just from their families but from life in general. Sometimes life is hard and I enjoyed that Ki and Meg kept it real!!

I loved that Riley was able to have a second chance with Ambrose and with all that they’d gone througbh I loved their happily ever after!! I loved this story and I highly recommend the whole Cherry Hollow series!!

As for the narration, Bump is a new narrator to me but I thought they did a fantastic job! Great overall narration but I particularly liked the main character narrations, I felt they matched the characters perfectly and was wonderfully emotive when needed. I also enjoyed the voices he used for the mothers too. I must say, as an Aussie, he did butcher the Aussie accent to smithereens but I find that hilarious. A true Aussie accent is hard, so good try mate and thanks for the English/Crocodile Dundee impression for happy-go-lucky Luke, I loved it LOL!

Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com 📚.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley first met Ambrose as teenager then his parents married off to Riley's Uncle Jacob.
When Riley first met Ambrose he was rescuing an injured bird and being bullied so Riley stepped in and sent the bullies packing. Then his parents arranged for Ambrose to marry Riley's uncle and Riley when off to college. Driving back from college to visit his parents Riley finds a dog by the roadside and knows he can not take it home as his mother is allergic to them and the person who comes to mind is Ambrose. When he arrives he finds out the his uncle has moved out leaving Ambrose on his own but for his dog Trevor. A MM MPreg romance to relax and enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley and Ambrose meet when they are in school. Unfortunately they did not have a chance to be anything then because Ambrose has been promised to Riley's uncle who eventually discards Ambrose because he does not produce a child for Riley's uncle. Jacob is not kind to Ambrose but his leaving leaves Riley and Ambrose a chance to not only be secretly attracted to one another but instead to see if they can be together. But Ambrose's father sees him as a commodity and plans to marry him off again. What is great is that Ambrose finds it in himself to not just obey but to try for what he wants for his life. And that Riley keeps fighting for them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley's Forbidden Omega is the third book in the Cherry Hollow Series by Ki Brightly and Meg Bawden. This sweet mpreg is about second chances, true love and overcoming obstacles. Riley fell for Ambrose at first sight, unfortunately for these two men, Ambrose's father had already arranged him to marry a successful Alpha, Riley's uncle. Years later, Riley is facing a divorce due to his inability to give his husband a child. Riley and Ambrose embrace their second chance.

The story has drama and humor, surprises and twists, sweetness and heat. These characters are wonderful, delightful and fun to get to know. A great addition to the Cherry Hollow series.

I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation

[Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambrose🥰 

I LOVE that Ambrose got his happy ending! The way that this book was written is brilliant! You got to see Jacob's true personality in Book 1 and holy moly that man stressed me out to no end. Then we got a bit of a break from the crazy man in book 2 only for him to somewhat redeem himself in book 3. I don't think that I could fully ever like Jacob but I don't hate him as much, still doesn't excuse his abuse and all the other crap he did, but at least he was tolerable by the end of the book. Can we talk about Riley for a while, he was amazing and so perfect!! His patience, love, kindness, understanding and how he helped Ambrose heal! I love that man so much! Riley and Ambrose are my favorite book boyfriends!💖💖💖

[T Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

You love some but you also dislike some. Riley and Ambrose, lovable, Jacob and Ambrose's dad, not so much, yet, it takes them all to bring this story together and they all made it perfect. This story brought out the emotions. Ambrose’s story before Riley was heartbreaking. His life with Riley was warm but not without struggles. Their passion brought this book to life. This
story really wrapped me up and drew me in. It was hard to quit reading. Really, really enjoyed it. The writing, the story telling, everything was terrific.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a my first visit to Cherry Hollow and I really enjoyed this sweet sexy read. I'm still getting used to the whole mpreg genre. I really loved Riley and Ambrose, they made a lovely couple and I loved how they fought for each other against the odds. Ambrose's parents, especially his father were unlikeable characters, and of course Jacob, Ambrose's ex, but luckily he had his friend Lincoln to make up for it. Riley's parents were just lovely, especially his mum. It was nice to read a sweet romance with a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sassy Beta Reading & Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 3 of the Cherry Hill series but can be read as a stand alone. Written as a 1st person MPreg romance with a multi pov.

This book was well written. It had strong characters and a story line that was emotional and heartfelt. Riley has loved Ambrose since he was a teen, and can not believe it when he finds out that Ambrose is finally free to be his. Ambrose finds himself abandoned by his husband that his father chose for him. Is now the time to follow his heart?

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Would I read more from this author? Yes

Sassy Beta Reading and Review

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patti Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley is younger than Ambrose. Riley is a young alpha with everything he needs. The one thing Riley wants he cannot have. Riley wants Ambrose, but Ambrose is married to Rileys uncle. Ambrose and Jacob are getting divorced because Ambrose is barren. Riley and Ambrose get together and Ambrose ends up pregnant. Jacob refuses to divorce Ambrose because he wants a baby. Riley finds out that Jacob is actually his father not his uncle. Can Riley convince Jacob to divorce Ambrose so that he can be happy with the one he loves? What does Ambrose want?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roxanne MacKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story about Riley and Ambrose. Ambrose has been bullied, bossed around and controlled by his father and his husband. Since he couldn't get pregnant, his husband leaves him. Things start to look up when Riley shows up with a stray dog. The characters are lovable and relatable. The twists and turns and ups and downs in the storyline make this a captivating and emotional story. Great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Esther Alayeto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful second chance romance that will take you on an emotional roller coaster to a great HEA! Riley and Ambrose can't deny their attraction and love even though theirs is a forbidden love but the heart wants what it wants. They truly belong together and have to overcome many obstacles to make that happen. I really like how patient, understanding, and supportive Riley id of Ambrose, that's exactly what Ambrose needs. The narrator did a great job with the characters and the story itself. I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this audiobook.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley can't help, but want what he shouldn't. Ambrose is struggling to pick up the pieces of his broken life. Past feelings are determined to come out. Will Ambrose escape his past? Will Riley get what he always wanted?

This was definitely steamy. I loved how Riley wasn't going to let the obstacles put in their way stop him from loving and making Ambrose happy. Absolutely loved when Ambrose stood up for himself and stopped letting others dictate his life! Good read!

[Sadie Sage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was enticing and lovely but some parts were improbable. Even with its improbable parts I loved this book. With the instant attraction to the separation to the coming back together, I couldn’t get enough. I was captivated and couldn’t stop reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely amazing story. It was captivating and very emotional. The twist and turns had me on edge. The steamy scenes was hot. The characters were remarkable and the bond they shared was strong. It was an overall excellent read you won't be disappointed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very enjoyable, the characters were engaging and the storyline was so emotional and it drew me in from the beginning.These characters road to their happy ending was a roller-coaster of twists and turns but in the end the journey was so worth it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book with strong characters and a heartfelt story line. Emotions run deep in this one. It's an interesting story filled with lots of love. The chemistry between the characters is strong as is their love for one another.I enjoyed reading and would recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Suzanne Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this riveting tale as finally Riley has a chance with his hidden love Ambrose. I enjoyed reading their tale as they navigated many twists and turns. There were plenty of emotions involved throughout the tale.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series

This is a great series. I really was happy to see Ambrose find happiness. And I was shocked that the authors found a way for me to feel the slightest bit of sympathy for the villain in this book. It was magic to realize they had pulled that off! But seriously, it is a great book.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIBLE VERSION
Ambrose and Riley first met as teenagers, due to the plans of Ambrose's dad they end up as in-laws as opposed to what they really wanted, each other.I hated what Ambrose had to go through with Jacob but I’m so happy he ended up with a wonderful Alpha like Riley. Riley is caring, sweet and amazing and they are such a wonderful couple