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Forbidden Descendants #9-full story
Insta-Family
LUCY GAMBLE, KNOCKED UP BY DYING MAN SHE GAVE SYMPATHY SEX, NOW MOVING ON TO HIS BIG BROTHER.
Have you ever tried to come up with a headline for your life? Well, mine’s so cringeworthy I can’t believe it’s actually my story...or a hundred percent true.
But honestly, how could I say no to the one-night-stand when he begged? Only a monster could deny someone their dying wish, right?
I mean, okay, getting pregnant from the encounter was a regrettable, irresponsible mistake; I can fully admit that.
Turning to his brother, however, was never part of the plan. Initially, I didn’t even like the guy.
Except Vaughn Merrill is a force to be reckoned with. He’s determined to be an “involved” uncle, and no matter how much I tell him he doesn’t have to be so helpful, he’s just so freaking helpful.
And gorgeous.
Plus not at all the ass I assumed he was. Then there’s this massive pain and grief and loneliness I see in his eyes. I just want to hug him constantly and give him the sense of family he so desperately needs.
So really, can you blame me for falling for the one man I know I shouldn’t?
Have you ever tried to come up with a headline for your life? Well, mine’s so cringeworthy I can’t believe it’s actually my story...or a hundred percent true.
But honestly, how could I say no to the one-night-stand when he begged? Only a monster could deny someone their dying wish, right?
I mean, okay, getting pregnant from the encounter was a regrettable, irresponsible mistake; I can fully admit that.
Turning to his brother, however, was never part of the plan. Initially, I didn’t even like the guy.
Except Vaughn Merrill is a force to be reckoned with. He’s determined to be an “involved” uncle, and no matter how much I tell him he doesn’t have to be so helpful, he’s just so freaking helpful.
And gorgeous.
Plus not at all the ass I assumed he was. Then there’s this massive pain and grief and loneliness I see in his eyes. I just want to hug him constantly and give him the sense of family he so desperately needs.
So really, can you blame me for falling for the one man I know I shouldn’t?
Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2021
61 people are currently reading
697 people want to read
About the author
Linda Kage
51 books5,536 followersLinda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy.
Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor's in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.
She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she's all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
A few of her favorite things have been:
Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor's in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.
She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she's all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
A few of her favorite things have been:
Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
June 5, 2023
4-4.5★
What a book! It is a beautiful story about family, grief and moving on after a tragedy and reading it was truly an emotional rollercoaster for me.
I must confess I cried a lot. I felt Vaughn’s pain coming off the page as I was reading about his loss throughout the book (he lost his parents in a car accident, then took care of his younger brother, who died from cancer at the beginning of the book). The author has a way to express Vaughn’s struggling to come to terms with his brother’s death so beautifully, his mourning and fears, and it totally broke me.
Lucy is Aspen and Noel’s daughter (the couple from To Professor, with Love) and after her one-night stand with Duke, Vaughn’s brother, she ended up pregnant and became so a single parent. I truly loved how realistic the struggles of a new mother were pictured in this book. It felt so real and personal, it reminded me of my personal experiences and made me cry so hard for her (too).
Yeah, it was a cry fest in the first half for me… And it caught me off-guard because I didn’t expect it from the blurb or the cover. But both main characters won my heart, I loved them, separately and as a couple as well, they were just so perfect for each other in my eyes. One of my fav couples.
The family theme was also so strong here. Vaughn was such a broken man who had lost so much and didn’t have any family left. Lucy on the other side, had this whole group of people who acted like a big family (some of them were related), who were all pretty close, and when one of them faced any kind of challenge, everyone else banded together and went a little overboard with trying to help out. We see so a lot of (intertwined) characters from the Forbidden Men series here incl. their children, and it was sometimes hard to keep track of who-is-who. But I was glad for the glimpses of their lives because it added funny moments to the story, especially everything that included Luke or Trick cracked me up every time.
So why only 4 stars?
Too many events in the storyline were too convenient. I don't like it when there are too many coincidences, that should make it look like it was a fate. They really messed with my liking of this story unfortunately and for the sake of this book I’m just going to pretend the events around the 80% mark just didn’t happen.
This book put me through so many emotions. It was truly heart-breaking, but also amazingly written, beautiful, and heart-warming in the end.
What a book! It is a beautiful story about family, grief and moving on after a tragedy and reading it was truly an emotional rollercoaster for me.
I must confess I cried a lot. I felt Vaughn’s pain coming off the page as I was reading about his loss throughout the book (he lost his parents in a car accident, then took care of his younger brother, who died from cancer at the beginning of the book). The author has a way to express Vaughn’s struggling to come to terms with his brother’s death so beautifully, his mourning and fears, and it totally broke me.
Lucy is Aspen and Noel’s daughter (the couple from To Professor, with Love) and after her one-night stand with Duke, Vaughn’s brother, she ended up pregnant and became so a single parent. I truly loved how realistic the struggles of a new mother were pictured in this book. It felt so real and personal, it reminded me of my personal experiences and made me cry so hard for her (too).
Yeah, it was a cry fest in the first half for me… And it caught me off-guard because I didn’t expect it from the blurb or the cover. But both main characters won my heart, I loved them, separately and as a couple as well, they were just so perfect for each other in my eyes. One of my fav couples.
The family theme was also so strong here. Vaughn was such a broken man who had lost so much and didn’t have any family left. Lucy on the other side, had this whole group of people who acted like a big family (some of them were related), who were all pretty close, and when one of them faced any kind of challenge, everyone else banded together and went a little overboard with trying to help out. We see so a lot of (intertwined) characters from the Forbidden Men series here incl. their children, and it was sometimes hard to keep track of who-is-who. But I was glad for the glimpses of their lives because it added funny moments to the story, especially everything that included Luke or Trick cracked me up every time.
So why only 4 stars?
Too many events in the storyline were too convenient. I don't like it when there are too many coincidences, that should make it look like it was a fate. They really messed with my liking of this story unfortunately and for the sake of this book I’m just going to pretend the events around the 80% mark just didn’t happen.
This book put me through so many emotions. It was truly heart-breaking, but also amazingly written, beautiful, and heart-warming in the end.
January 7, 2022
did i really want to rate this five stars purely for the hero and the cute baby...
but the heroine and the bizarre drama of this book reduces this to a solid three stars.
the Forbidden Men series was my jam back in the day, so i was so excited to see the next gen series!!
seeing Noel and Aspen again was 🥰🥺💗 them along with Eva and Pick (who’s son, Trick, we meet!! and not him being named Patrick Mason Ryan✋🏻), and Sarah and Brandt were my faves back in the day. the almost fatherly bond between Noel and Vaughn was so sweet and a connection Vaughn desperately craved and needed.
while my EvaPick heart was bursting at their cameo oh my god. Eva’s humour is still on point while the way that man adores her... another OG book boyfriend i am ashamed i have neglected😔 my deep philosophical book-boyfriend. then Ryke Meadows is my sexy-grumpy book- boyfriend. then Daemon Black is my fucking snarky idiot book-boyfriend.
now Vaughn can be my intense, mysterious book-boyfriend :) bcos wow i loved this man.
the dichotomy of this man was startling but so intriguing to me. a complex mix of vulnerability, stoicism and resilience is truly what kept me turning the pages. i was fascinated by him, by his grief and his loss and how it shaped him into the man we got to know.
this book was a lot deeper than i thought it would be, it really made my heartache at times— there was suicidal thoughts with the active intent to commit suicide in regards to Vaughn’s character. i don’t see this as spoilers since it’s potentially triggering content and there wasn’t a warning within the book as far as i could tell. so just wanted to point that out for people who this may impact :)
the scene when Vaughn first meets baby Ava, i can’t lie and say i didn’t get teary-eyed. he just made my heart heart and simultaneously melt. just his interactions with Ava were 1000000/10, they always guaranteed to make me smile bcos this man was the biggest gentle giant and so obsessed with her, eurghhhh. the baby fever is real.
like this big hunk of a man could be all brooding and intimidating one minute, then the sweetest soul on earth the next, i– i want one please!! and he was sexy too, i mean: “Grab the back of the chair behind you and hold the fuck on.” okay, Vaughn👀
watching Vaughn assimilate to Lucy’s family, forming bonds and friendships he deserved wholeheartedly, being playful and just happy was probably my favourite part of this whole book. i was rooting for him so hard. i haven’t read a character in such a while who deserves a happy ending as much as Vaughn.
while Lucy... eh🤷🏻♀️ she could have been anyone lmao. unseasoned and boring. and i didn’t like how she made Vaughn feel unwanted at times since she could be pretty insensitive. the scene that led to their first kiss really rubbed me the wrong way bcos she was horrible to him.
me any time Lucy was mean to Vaughn:
im glad Aspen and Noel were there to support him so much bcos Lucy was just bleh. it was kind of annoying knowing Noel and Aspen made a daughter so goddamn boring lmao. at least Trick is undoubtedly Eva and Pick’s son💀 even Lucy’s brother Beau was a little prick, so i truly don’t know where Aspen and Noel went wrong with their offspring.
the most interesting thing about her was the fact she gave a dying man a pity-fuck bcos she felt obligated🤡 and having Vaughn and Lucy have sex on the anniversary Lucy had sex with Vaughn’s brother... they did not have to violate Vaughn like that, i–
parts of this book were ruly bizarre tho... like wtf was up with all of Lucy’s male friends showing up at her house to propose? it reminded me of the last Vicar of Dibley episode lmao. especially bcos Lucy was so indistinguishable and boring... like how tf did you manage to get all these men dropping to their knees when you have the personality of a ritz cracker? tell me your ways, girly bcos i need the help💅🏻
and for someone who has read the OG series, even i struggled to keep up with who’s kids were from which couple. mainly bcos it wasn’t always explained, they were just dropped and mentioned here and there. like still don’t know who Luke belongs to lmao and by extent, JB?
can’t wait for Chloe’s book tho! Eva and Pick’s daughter better impress me more than Aspen and Noel’s did. definitely interested in some of the other next gen books!!
but the heroine and the bizarre drama of this book reduces this to a solid three stars.
the Forbidden Men series was my jam back in the day, so i was so excited to see the next gen series!!
seeing Noel and Aspen again was 🥰🥺💗 them along with Eva and Pick (who’s son, Trick, we meet!! and not him being named Patrick Mason Ryan✋🏻), and Sarah and Brandt were my faves back in the day. the almost fatherly bond between Noel and Vaughn was so sweet and a connection Vaughn desperately craved and needed.
while my EvaPick heart was bursting at their cameo oh my god. Eva’s humour is still on point while the way that man adores her... another OG book boyfriend i am ashamed i have neglected😔 my deep philosophical book-boyfriend. then Ryke Meadows is my sexy-grumpy book- boyfriend. then Daemon Black is my fucking snarky idiot book-boyfriend.
now Vaughn can be my intense, mysterious book-boyfriend :) bcos wow i loved this man.
the dichotomy of this man was startling but so intriguing to me. a complex mix of vulnerability, stoicism and resilience is truly what kept me turning the pages. i was fascinated by him, by his grief and his loss and how it shaped him into the man we got to know.
this book was a lot deeper than i thought it would be, it really made my heartache at times— there was suicidal thoughts with the active intent to commit suicide in regards to Vaughn’s character. i don’t see this as spoilers since it’s potentially triggering content and there wasn’t a warning within the book as far as i could tell. so just wanted to point that out for people who this may impact :)
the scene when Vaughn first meets baby Ava, i can’t lie and say i didn’t get teary-eyed. he just made my heart heart and simultaneously melt. just his interactions with Ava were 1000000/10, they always guaranteed to make me smile bcos this man was the biggest gentle giant and so obsessed with her, eurghhhh. the baby fever is real.
like this big hunk of a man could be all brooding and intimidating one minute, then the sweetest soul on earth the next, i– i want one please!! and he was sexy too, i mean: “Grab the back of the chair behind you and hold the fuck on.” okay, Vaughn👀
watching Vaughn assimilate to Lucy’s family, forming bonds and friendships he deserved wholeheartedly, being playful and just happy was probably my favourite part of this whole book. i was rooting for him so hard. i haven’t read a character in such a while who deserves a happy ending as much as Vaughn.
while Lucy... eh🤷🏻♀️ she could have been anyone lmao. unseasoned and boring. and i didn’t like how she made Vaughn feel unwanted at times since she could be pretty insensitive. the scene that led to their first kiss really rubbed me the wrong way bcos she was horrible to him.
me any time Lucy was mean to Vaughn:
im glad Aspen and Noel were there to support him so much bcos Lucy was just bleh. it was kind of annoying knowing Noel and Aspen made a daughter so goddamn boring lmao. at least Trick is undoubtedly Eva and Pick’s son💀 even Lucy’s brother Beau was a little prick, so i truly don’t know where Aspen and Noel went wrong with their offspring.
the most interesting thing about her was the fact she gave a dying man a pity-fuck bcos she felt obligated🤡 and having Vaughn and Lucy have sex on the anniversary Lucy had sex with Vaughn’s brother... they did not have to violate Vaughn like that, i–
parts of this book were ruly bizarre tho... like wtf was up with all of Lucy’s male friends showing up at her house to propose? it reminded me of the last Vicar of Dibley episode lmao. especially bcos Lucy was so indistinguishable and boring... like how tf did you manage to get all these men dropping to their knees when you have the personality of a ritz cracker? tell me your ways, girly bcos i need the help💅🏻
and for someone who has read the OG series, even i struggled to keep up with who’s kids were from which couple. mainly bcos it wasn’t always explained, they were just dropped and mentioned here and there. like still don’t know who Luke belongs to lmao and by extent, JB?
can’t wait for Chloe’s book tho! Eva and Pick’s daughter better impress me more than Aspen and Noel’s did. definitely interested in some of the other next gen books!!
May 7, 2023
4 stars
I've kind of read these out of order, but I love the 'Forbidden' families so much and was excited to read Lucy and Vaughn's story. This was a bit complicated and messy at times, but also so sweet and enjoyable to read. I loved watching Lucy become a parent and Vaughn with baby Ava Grace- so adorable!
I've kind of read these out of order, but I love the 'Forbidden' families so much and was excited to read Lucy and Vaughn's story. This was a bit complicated and messy at times, but also so sweet and enjoyable to read. I loved watching Lucy become a parent and Vaughn with baby Ava Grace- so adorable!
January 31, 2023
3.5 Stars
March 1, 2025
2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise and revisiting the characters (to a certain degree)
The Not-So-Good: The H's struggles without feeling a connection to him
The Bad: The excessive side character interactions
Overall: This was a little rough. I loved the forbidden men series from Linda Kage and to know that this h is the daughter of Aspen in To Professor, with Love was fun. I liked seeing the new generation of characters and how close they were just like their parents. However, it became way too much. If you aren't into revisiting those characters, or if you haven't read those books -- I could only imagine how frustrating this would've been.
I also felt like while I sympathized with the H and his loss and what he was going through, I didn't connect with him enough to feel emotionally invested. It just felt...awkward in how much he was crying and grieving. Which was most of the book. I do like a man that isn't ashamed to feel things but I guess I also need to feel connected to him to not find it OTT 🫣 man, I feel like a jerk saying that. This was a freebie, and I think it's still free on amazon rn so it wasn't a total loss, but I'm definitely disappointed.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lucy and Vaughn's story. Vaughn's last living family and brother is dying and he meets Lucy after she had a one night stand with him, so it wasn't a pleasant interaction. Their second interaction wasn't great either when he is at his lowest after his brother died and Lucy shows up telling him she's pregnant. Fast forward until she has the baby and Vaughn is desperate to have someone else to care for. There are some secrets revealed, some major grief they have to get through, the h's crazy family, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Lucy and Vaughn's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed but I was really tempted at times.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Vaughn. While I really liked how he cared for the h and her baby, and I also thought he really needed to work on his grief because he was severely damaged by it.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Lucy. I liked her, but I also thought that she could've communicated better at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some mild tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is slow burn in that they aren't intimate until ~78%
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not in the usual way
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Not technically because they weren't "together" (but no mention or suggestion of other partners during the times apart)
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise and revisiting the characters (to a certain degree)
The Not-So-Good: The H's struggles without feeling a connection to him
The Bad: The excessive side character interactions
Overall: This was a little rough. I loved the forbidden men series from Linda Kage and to know that this h is the daughter of Aspen in To Professor, with Love was fun. I liked seeing the new generation of characters and how close they were just like their parents. However, it became way too much. If you aren't into revisiting those characters, or if you haven't read those books -- I could only imagine how frustrating this would've been.
I also felt like while I sympathized with the H and his loss and what he was going through, I didn't connect with him enough to feel emotionally invested. It just felt...awkward in how much he was crying and grieving. Which was most of the book. I do like a man that isn't ashamed to feel things but I guess I also need to feel connected to him to not find it OTT 🫣 man, I feel like a jerk saying that. This was a freebie, and I think it's still free on amazon rn so it wasn't a total loss, but I'm definitely disappointed.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lucy and Vaughn's story. Vaughn's last living family and brother is dying and he meets Lucy after she had a one night stand with him, so it wasn't a pleasant interaction. Their second interaction wasn't great either when he is at his lowest after his brother died and Lucy shows up telling him she's pregnant. Fast forward until she has the baby and Vaughn is desperate to have someone else to care for. There are some secrets revealed, some major grief they have to get through, the h's crazy family, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Lucy and Vaughn's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed but I was really tempted at times.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Vaughn. While I really liked how he cared for the h and her baby, and I also thought he really needed to work on his grief because he was severely damaged by it.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Lucy. I liked her, but I also thought that she could've communicated better at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some mild tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is slow burn in that they aren't intimate until ~78%
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not in the usual way
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Not technically because they weren't "together" (but no mention or suggestion of other partners during the times apart)
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
December 17, 2021
I love this sweet emotional story! Insta-Family is sort of a spin off from the Forbidden Men series. A second generation now getting their happily ever afters.
“It’d break my heart if you didn’t like me because I kind of love you more than anything on earth.”
Vaughn has devoted all of his adult life to his brother, his only family. When Duke passes away, Vaughn is left feeling like he has nothing to live for… that is until Duke’s last one night stand shows up on his doorstep.
“…the happier I felt just being with Ava and Lucy, the more guilt that ate away at me too.”
This is a beautiful story of love, loss, moving on and especially the treasure of ‘found family’.
-5 Stars!-
“It’d break my heart if you didn’t like me because I kind of love you more than anything on earth.”
Vaughn has devoted all of his adult life to his brother, his only family. When Duke passes away, Vaughn is left feeling like he has nothing to live for… that is until Duke’s last one night stand shows up on his doorstep.
“…the happier I felt just being with Ava and Lucy, the more guilt that ate away at me too.”
This is a beautiful story of love, loss, moving on and especially the treasure of ‘found family’.
-5 Stars!-
December 15, 2021
At this point, I'm seriously just at a loss for words...but I'm sure I can babble enough out to get some kind of point across.
First off, THIS BOOK IS INTENSE!!!! Like, woooooooow. Linda Kage has this unique ability to rip my heart to the tiniest of shreds and then carefully piece it back together more full than it was before. The only other author who can do this to me is my darling CoHo, so I'm as surprised as you all are. I recommend everyone read this book ASAP! Seriously, run if you have to...
What I liked about this book: (besides, well, everything)
1. The characters/the family - for me, a good character beats out a good plot any day of the week. But when I get great characters and a great plot?
Besides Duke (*cringing speaking ill of the dead*), there is not a single character I don't like. Even that creepy stalker dude serves a really good purpose. And we are talking deeply flawed people here people! Yet, they are fantastic.
2. The real issues - these people have REAL issues!!! There is none of that unrealistic, over-the-top, a**hole drama we see in other romance books (I mean, I'm all for that too, sure). These people are dealing with legitimate things you would in the same situation.
Lucy is a total pushover who we get to see fully lash out against that in the final chapters. Yay Lucy!
Duke is freaking dying and dude is totally zen about it but is also going about things the wrong way like he's five.
Vaughn is probably the most f**ked up of all throughout the whole story but then ends up getting his HEA in a really realistic way, which is just beautiful!
3. The take on mental health - with all the grief that Vaughn goes through, it is a wonder that man is still functioning. Towards the end of the story, we see Lucy and him delving into what is plaguing him and talk about him getting help, without the stigma surrounding that. At one point, Lucy even references how glad she is that he didn't seem to have a machismo response to seeing a therapist. I love the fresh take on something very relatable for most people.
4. All the feels - I cannot stress this enough....I CRIED reading this book...like... several times!!!
Linda Kage: 1. Me: 0.
My criticisms:
1. There were too many names of people to keep straight. But hey, plenty of room for future spins offs that I would probably, most definitely, totally would kill for
5 ok-I'm-going-to-finish-bawling-my-eyes-out-over-here-carry-on-without-me stars!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First off, THIS BOOK IS INTENSE!!!! Like, woooooooow. Linda Kage has this unique ability to rip my heart to the tiniest of shreds and then carefully piece it back together more full than it was before. The only other author who can do this to me is my darling CoHo, so I'm as surprised as you all are. I recommend everyone read this book ASAP! Seriously, run if you have to...
What I liked about this book: (besides, well, everything)
1. The characters/the family - for me, a good character beats out a good plot any day of the week. But when I get great characters and a great plot?
Besides Duke (*cringing speaking ill of the dead*), there is not a single character I don't like. Even that creepy stalker dude serves a really good purpose. And we are talking deeply flawed people here people! Yet, they are fantastic.
2. The real issues - these people have REAL issues!!! There is none of that unrealistic, over-the-top, a**hole drama we see in other romance books (I mean, I'm all for that too, sure). These people are dealing with legitimate things you would in the same situation.
Lucy is a total pushover who we get to see fully lash out against that in the final chapters. Yay Lucy!
Duke is freaking dying and dude is totally zen about it but is also going about things the wrong way like he's five.
Vaughn is probably the most f**ked up of all throughout the whole story but then ends up getting his HEA in a really realistic way, which is just beautiful!
3. The take on mental health - with all the grief that Vaughn goes through, it is a wonder that man is still functioning. Towards the end of the story, we see Lucy and him delving into what is plaguing him and talk about him getting help, without the stigma surrounding that. At one point, Lucy even references how glad she is that he didn't seem to have a machismo response to seeing a therapist. I love the fresh take on something very relatable for most people.
4. All the feels - I cannot stress this enough....I CRIED reading this book...like... several times!!!
Linda Kage: 1. Me: 0.
My criticisms:
1. There were too many names of people to keep straight. But hey, plenty of room for future spins offs that I would probably, most definitely, totally would kill for
5 ok-I'm-going-to-finish-bawling-my-eyes-out-over-here-carry-on-without-me stars!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 4, 2022
4.5 stars!
What a fantastic read!! A sweet, sexy and swoony romance with a bit of a twist, and a gorgeously emotional story about family – the one you’re born into, and the one you create. It hit me in the feels so many times, and I loved this one!
This book fits into the Forbidden Men: Descendants series. Lucy is the daughter of Noel and Aspen from To Professor, with Love, and the whole extended crew feature prominently throughout the story. But rest assured, it can also easily standalone – just be aware that you’ll be meeting a WHOLE lot of intertwined characters, and you probably won’t remember them all or how they fit together, and that’s fine.
Lucy is living a happy, independent life with a good job, great friends, and a close and supportive family. But her world is upended when she has cringy and awkward sympathy sex with a dying colleague, and ends up pregnant.
Vaughn is the big brother of Lucy’s one night stand, Duke. After losing their parents, Vaughn gave up his College dreams to raise his younger brother, and he has spent the last few years caring for him during his cancer battle. When Duke dies, Vaughn is completely alone, drowning in grief, and has no idea what to do with his life. It’s a tragic situation, and I was in tears within the first few chapters of the book! But learning he is going to be an uncle gives Vaughn purpose, and when little Ava Grace arrives, he is smitten with the tiny little girl who is the only family that he has left.
Vaughn may be shy and introverted, but he wants to be there for everything, and Lucy is happy to have him as a part of her and Ava’s lives. He is initially a little over-excited, in scenes that had my heart melting as he loves all over the baby, but his inconvenient attraction to Lucy makes things awkward for him.
What he doesn’t know is that Lucy is lusting over him just as badly. Things get even more awkward as the sexual tension grows, and then the whole family become involved, seeing that their beloved Lucy and “the Uncle” are perfect for each other.
And they are! Vaughn and Lucy are beautiful together. Their relationship definitely has its ups and downs, but once they realise the depths of their feelings for each other, they are open and honest in confessing their feelings and the realities of their situation, and when the chemistry becomes too hard to resist, they fall headfirst into an intense, passionate and emotional romance that absolutely stole my heart.
But Vaughn is still struggling to come to terms with his brother’s death, the fact that Lucy was with him first, and all of the implications of that. His grief, fears and concerns are valid, and my heart ached for him as he tried to make sense of it all as he falls harder and harder.
But Lucy and her family are there for him, supporting him all the way, and I love how he was embraced into the family group, and how he just went with it, accepting them and everything they offered. And in the midst of all of the emotional turmoil, they bring some wonderfully fun and funny moments.
This is such a beautiful story. The love story is gorgeous, of course, and the themes of family are so well written. Firstly with little Ava – Lucy’s love for her little girl is so apparent, and Vaughn’s relationship with his niece will melt your ovaries. He is completely smitten, and every scene with them together had me grinning like a fool. And the rest of the family group are always there, showing their support, and the scenes with them all together were just magic.
There is drama, emotion and a bit of intensity, but on the whole this book is such a sweet read. It’s beautifully written and ends well, with an epilogue which finishes the story off beautifully.
I loved it – 4.5 stars.
What a fantastic read!! A sweet, sexy and swoony romance with a bit of a twist, and a gorgeously emotional story about family – the one you’re born into, and the one you create. It hit me in the feels so many times, and I loved this one!
This book fits into the Forbidden Men: Descendants series. Lucy is the daughter of Noel and Aspen from To Professor, with Love, and the whole extended crew feature prominently throughout the story. But rest assured, it can also easily standalone – just be aware that you’ll be meeting a WHOLE lot of intertwined characters, and you probably won’t remember them all or how they fit together, and that’s fine.
Lucy is living a happy, independent life with a good job, great friends, and a close and supportive family. But her world is upended when she has cringy and awkward sympathy sex with a dying colleague, and ends up pregnant.
Vaughn is the big brother of Lucy’s one night stand, Duke. After losing their parents, Vaughn gave up his College dreams to raise his younger brother, and he has spent the last few years caring for him during his cancer battle. When Duke dies, Vaughn is completely alone, drowning in grief, and has no idea what to do with his life. It’s a tragic situation, and I was in tears within the first few chapters of the book! But learning he is going to be an uncle gives Vaughn purpose, and when little Ava Grace arrives, he is smitten with the tiny little girl who is the only family that he has left.
Vaughn may be shy and introverted, but he wants to be there for everything, and Lucy is happy to have him as a part of her and Ava’s lives. He is initially a little over-excited, in scenes that had my heart melting as he loves all over the baby, but his inconvenient attraction to Lucy makes things awkward for him.
I couldn’t seem to care how much it was going to burn. I just knew I couldn’t stay away.
What he doesn’t know is that Lucy is lusting over him just as badly. Things get even more awkward as the sexual tension grows, and then the whole family become involved, seeing that their beloved Lucy and “the Uncle” are perfect for each other.
And they are! Vaughn and Lucy are beautiful together. Their relationship definitely has its ups and downs, but once they realise the depths of their feelings for each other, they are open and honest in confessing their feelings and the realities of their situation, and when the chemistry becomes too hard to resist, they fall headfirst into an intense, passionate and emotional romance that absolutely stole my heart.
“It’d break my heart if you didn’t like me because I kind of love you more than anything on earth.”
But Vaughn is still struggling to come to terms with his brother’s death, the fact that Lucy was with him first, and all of the implications of that. His grief, fears and concerns are valid, and my heart ached for him as he tried to make sense of it all as he falls harder and harder.
How can I wrap my brain around the fact that my brother had to die for me to end up happier than I’d ever been before?
But Lucy and her family are there for him, supporting him all the way, and I love how he was embraced into the family group, and how he just went with it, accepting them and everything they offered. And in the midst of all of the emotional turmoil, they bring some wonderfully fun and funny moments.
This is such a beautiful story. The love story is gorgeous, of course, and the themes of family are so well written. Firstly with little Ava – Lucy’s love for her little girl is so apparent, and Vaughn’s relationship with his niece will melt your ovaries. He is completely smitten, and every scene with them together had me grinning like a fool. And the rest of the family group are always there, showing their support, and the scenes with them all together were just magic.
There is drama, emotion and a bit of intensity, but on the whole this book is such a sweet read. It’s beautifully written and ends well, with an epilogue which finishes the story off beautifully.
I loved it – 4.5 stars.
December 27, 2021
review written fifteen hours after I finished the book.
"Life is weird. You never know if you're supposed to suppress your happiness out of respect because someone you know is going through a shitty time or keep your problems to yourself when others are celebrating. It's all a fucking mess, and you just do the best you can with what you got"
So... here we come.
I love the Forbidden Men gang.
I love the fact that they were, in some ways, alone in the world, fighting their own demons, with no help whatsoever and YET, they finally found the family and support they needed in each other. That is what made me fell in love with every First Generation character.
That being said, here's what I need to tell you guys about this book.
It started really quick. Vaughn and Lucy Olivia are one of the cutest couples I've ever read and I can assure you, you can feel their chemistry through the pages.
He is her daughter's uncle and according to them, they can't be together because of that. Not only that but the father of the child just died so the brother is mourning, which totally messes things even more. And trust me, it does.
I was not expecting to be involved in Vaughn's story since the beginning and not even the title of the book prepared me for the feeelings I had about the FM family during this book. I cried, laughed and fell in love with the main characters of the story but every member of the family reminded me how important it is to feel support from your closest ones.
Vaughn won my heart since the beginning and his pain and mourning totally broke me. It felt so real and personal and it totally reminded me of personal experiences which is what I like the most about books: the fact that I can relate to the story and the way that it touches my heart making me think about how blessed I am for all the love that there is in my life whether I like it or not, which happened to Vaughn.
He felt like somehow he was failing his brother by all the support that he suddenly had and I think that's one of the most things that resonated with me. When someone is gone, we honor them by fighting and by showing love to our people, even if they didn't had the chance to meet them.
And now just wrap this up. I love this book with my entire heart and is one of my favorites 2021' reads so thank you, Linda, for destroying me once again.
|| ESPAÑOL ||
Si yo les pudiera expresar por completo lo mucho que sentí leyendo este libro sería increíble. No tienen idea las veces que estuve a punto de enviarle un audio llorando a la autora demandando que me devolviera la estabilidad emocional porque alguna escena, o incluso algún capítulo entero, me destruyó de formas que no creí posible.
Agradezco mucho tener la oportunidad de haber leído este libro y de haberme sentido conectada con él. No es simplemente sobre una pareja que se conoce, se enamora y enfrentan cosas para estar juntos, es sobre el dolor, la pérdida, el sentimiento que llega cuando al fin estás avanzando sólo para sentir que estás traicionando a esa persona al ser feliz.
Y tomen lo anterior a mal, la realidad es que la pareja que forman Lucy Olivia y Vaughn es simplemente maravillosa y me llena de ternura. El cómo avanza su relación ha sido uno de los viajes más hermosos que he tomado en la ficción y el hecho de que Vaughn sea el hermano del padre de la hija de Lucy, si bien les trajo muchos altibajos (más de los que me gustaría admitir), en verdad forman una pareja tan preciosa que me caí completamente a sus pies.
Este libro es de esos que llevaré por siempre en mi corazón y cuya historia me hizo sentir tantas cosas, en verdad deseo que tengan la oportunidad de leerlo y puedan experimentar por ustedes mismos lo maravillosa que es esta familia.
"Life is weird. You never know if you're supposed to suppress your happiness out of respect because someone you know is going through a shitty time or keep your problems to yourself when others are celebrating. It's all a fucking mess, and you just do the best you can with what you got"
So... here we come.
I love the Forbidden Men gang.
I love the fact that they were, in some ways, alone in the world, fighting their own demons, with no help whatsoever and YET, they finally found the family and support they needed in each other. That is what made me fell in love with every First Generation character.
That being said, here's what I need to tell you guys about this book.
It started really quick. Vaughn and Lucy Olivia are one of the cutest couples I've ever read and I can assure you, you can feel their chemistry through the pages.
He is her daughter's uncle and according to them, they can't be together because of that. Not only that but the father of the child just died so the brother is mourning, which totally messes things even more. And trust me, it does.
I was not expecting to be involved in Vaughn's story since the beginning and not even the title of the book prepared me for the feeelings I had about the FM family during this book. I cried, laughed and fell in love with the main characters of the story but every member of the family reminded me how important it is to feel support from your closest ones.
Vaughn won my heart since the beginning and his pain and mourning totally broke me. It felt so real and personal and it totally reminded me of personal experiences which is what I like the most about books: the fact that I can relate to the story and the way that it touches my heart making me think about how blessed I am for all the love that there is in my life whether I like it or not, which happened to Vaughn.
He felt like somehow he was failing his brother by all the support that he suddenly had and I think that's one of the most things that resonated with me. When someone is gone, we honor them by fighting and by showing love to our people, even if they didn't had the chance to meet them.
And now just wrap this up. I love this book with my entire heart and is one of my favorites 2021' reads so thank you, Linda, for destroying me once again.
|| ESPAÑOL ||
Si yo les pudiera expresar por completo lo mucho que sentí leyendo este libro sería increíble. No tienen idea las veces que estuve a punto de enviarle un audio llorando a la autora demandando que me devolviera la estabilidad emocional porque alguna escena, o incluso algún capítulo entero, me destruyó de formas que no creí posible.
Agradezco mucho tener la oportunidad de haber leído este libro y de haberme sentido conectada con él. No es simplemente sobre una pareja que se conoce, se enamora y enfrentan cosas para estar juntos, es sobre el dolor, la pérdida, el sentimiento que llega cuando al fin estás avanzando sólo para sentir que estás traicionando a esa persona al ser feliz.
Y tomen lo anterior a mal, la realidad es que la pareja que forman Lucy Olivia y Vaughn es simplemente maravillosa y me llena de ternura. El cómo avanza su relación ha sido uno de los viajes más hermosos que he tomado en la ficción y el hecho de que Vaughn sea el hermano del padre de la hija de Lucy, si bien les trajo muchos altibajos (más de los que me gustaría admitir), en verdad forman una pareja tan preciosa que me caí completamente a sus pies.
Este libro es de esos que llevaré por siempre en mi corazón y cuya historia me hizo sentir tantas cosas, en verdad deseo que tengan la oportunidad de leerlo y puedan experimentar por ustedes mismos lo maravillosa que es esta familia.
December 21, 2021
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Insta-Family was the exact sort of emotionally intense, heartfelt, drama-filled love story I was hungry for. It completely sucked me in and held me in thrall, heart aching for Lucy and Vaughn while they fought their feelings and fumbled their way toward happily-ever-after - and at the same time providing these moments of lightness and levity (and heat) that tempered the drama and made the story feel...whole. It was well-rounded, deeply layered, and well...perfect.
I do not have a lot of familiarity with the history of these characters, or how their rowdy family came to be. But even without that historical attachment, I found it impossible not to love them. I loved their whole dynamic and the way they so easily and naturally showered Lucy, Ava, and Vaughn with their love, attention, and fierce devotion (and their crazy). I am naturally drawn to family-centered romance and this one just hit me in all the right feels, in all the right ways.
Vaughn and Lucy's troubled beginning felt so authentic. My heart hurt for Vaughn. It shattered, healed, and then shattered again as he worked through his grief. I loved the tender moments he shared with Lucy, even the ones that left little bruises on my heart. But holy baloney y'all, all those bruises were worth it. The ending was so beautiful and satisfying, and wonderful. I adored this little insta-family and their bittersweet love story. This was an easy five stars for me, and I cannot wait for the next one! ~ Shelly, 5 Stars
Insta-Family was the exact sort of emotionally intense, heartfelt, drama-filled love story I was hungry for. It completely sucked me in and held me in thrall, heart aching for Lucy and Vaughn while they fought their feelings and fumbled their way toward happily-ever-after - and at the same time providing these moments of lightness and levity (and heat) that tempered the drama and made the story feel...whole. It was well-rounded, deeply layered, and well...perfect.
I do not have a lot of familiarity with the history of these characters, or how their rowdy family came to be. But even without that historical attachment, I found it impossible not to love them. I loved their whole dynamic and the way they so easily and naturally showered Lucy, Ava, and Vaughn with their love, attention, and fierce devotion (and their crazy). I am naturally drawn to family-centered romance and this one just hit me in all the right feels, in all the right ways.
Vaughn and Lucy's troubled beginning felt so authentic. My heart hurt for Vaughn. It shattered, healed, and then shattered again as he worked through his grief. I loved the tender moments he shared with Lucy, even the ones that left little bruises on my heart. But holy baloney y'all, all those bruises were worth it. The ending was so beautiful and satisfying, and wonderful. I adored this little insta-family and their bittersweet love story. This was an easy five stars for me, and I cannot wait for the next one! ~ Shelly, 5 Stars
June 25, 2023
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
Insta-Family is the third installment in the Forbidden Descendents series. This is a series that feature the kids of the Forbidden Men books. And in this one we have the daughter of Noah and Aspen and this is a story that definitely has some forbidden themes of sorts and might have some taboo elements for some readers. Personally, the taboo aspects didn't bother me at all and I was really intrigued by the set up of this one here and how Linda Kage implemented it throughout the story. There is such a strong sense of family and tough emotional baggage that is worked through, so definitely expect a tear jerker of a read. Its also contains in depth character growth and some triggering content, so make sure to check the content warnings on this one especially as it might be difficult for some if you are easily triggered by certain aspects.
First Line
The Scuffle of shoes on a nearby sidewalk had me unclenching my jaw and opening my eyes.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Vaughn
Retired student, working in a electrical usage company, protective, responsible and determined to protect his brother no matter what.
The Heroine: Lucy
Lucy, part of the Forbidden Men clan, always had family around her. She is bubbly and kind hearted and a bit shy when it comes to the sex department, and has a compassionate heart to the detriment at times of her own first experiences.
Summary
Lucy Gamble, when she hears of a work friend dying of cancer, begs her to have sex with him, and so she does out of a good heart, even though the experience was weird and not enjoyable for her at all. But what shocks her more is that she finds herself pregnant a week after the death of the baby's father. She immediately goes to the brother, Vaughn, to get any family momentos for her daughter. Vaughn when he learns of what has happened, becomes a student of babies, and is determined that his niece is cared for and taken for. Even though Vaughn and Lucy got off on the wrong foot, they bond over this new life that wraps their fingers around her heart. But Vaughn is mourning his brother and has lost his whole family and has no one left. He is all alone, and Lucy and her family gather around Vaughn in his most desperate moments to show him what being part of a family is all about and get him on the road to grieving his loss and finding joy in life again...
What I Loved
This story completely broke my heart in so many ways! I mean this author always delivers plenty of heart that is for sure, and there are some wonderful laughs along the way, however, this book will tear you apart emotionally. What we see is our hero who is going through the grieving process in this book and its really hard to see him struggle his loss but seeing the way it affects Lucy and her family is so heartwarming. They really come together and stand by each other and realize how lucky they are to have such a warm and big loving family to support each other through the good and especially the bad times.
Then we have our heroine, Lucy, who is more than happy to be a mother even if she will need to do it by herself. But I adored seeing her growth and seeing her take on the challenge with her family always being her support. We do see how she learns to accept help and support. She really struggles with these aspects, probably because of her family, she wants to feel independent from them as I am sure it can be overwhelming being a part of such a large brood of people haha but we also see the way she connects with Vaughn. She wants more with him and there is a strong chemistry between them even when she has just given birth, there is definitely more between them, so much so that even her parents sense it. But the one that is more in denial in the relationship, is the hero. She is the mother of his niece, and for Vaughn, he feels like its a betrayal to his brother even though his brother is long gone and his brother and Lucy had just a one night stand and didn't even like each other.
Once they start working through their issues though, is where we see their relationship really deepen and the way in which we see Vaughn working through his grief along the way was phenomenal and how even Vaughn is able to help some of Lucy's family because he sees a different perspective helps their healing that they have neglected (especially a certain couple that we have seen in this series have a miscarriage). But seeing him find this family and love and a new chapter in his life was worth the journey. This is more of a slow burn, because you know the heroine just had a baby so its not like she can have sex right away haha and Vaughn is going through healing first before anything sexual can really happen between them. But I adored their journey and Linda Kage won my heart once again! She just never fails for me.
What I Struggled With
It was so emotional and I was crying all over the place haha I would have liked to see our couple get together in their relationship a bit earlier in the relationship though. But everything else was top notch.
Overall View
Insta-Family is a heartbreaking but satisfying romance that will dig deep on your emotional threshold and have you connecting with these characters in a phenomenal way that you will least expect....a true favorite of the year!
Favorite Quote(s)
My brother was going to be a father, and a part of him was going to continue in this world. The Merrill line wasn’t going to end with me, after all. I still had family left. Something to live for.
“You never have to do anything alone again. Not in this family. Not unless you just want to. And someone will probably prevent you from that, even then.”
“Lucy is not off the table. She is the table.
“It’s not tormenting me,” he swore savagely. “You are there—up front and center—every time I’m happy. I’m at peace around you. I come alive when I see you. I’m fucking in love with you, Lucy. Those are not bad things.”
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Character Types: Tortured Hero, Cinnamon Roll
Themes: Found Family, Family Bonds, Slow Burn, Laughs and Giggles, Kids, Taboo, Tear Jerker
Tropes: Accidental Pregnancy, Grumpy Sunshine, Opposites Attract
Book Perspective
Dual POV
Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes, highly recommend reading this in order. Even if you don't read the Forbidden Men series, see the connections on her website, and read at least the descendents in her reading order including the novella's.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.---There aren't many sex scenes in this book, due to the slow burn nature of the story, but you start seeing it about 50% and later in the story.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
August 7, 2025
Nuevamente ame está historia, mi favorita sin duda.
Cada vez que lo leo, lo amo más.
Cada vez que lo leo, lo amo más.
May 10, 2024
9.5 / 10 ⭐️
Romántica Contemporánea / Drama / Familia encontrada
Mi libro favorito de toda la saga.
He llorado muchísimo.
Vaughn se hizo cargo a los 18 de su hermano pequeño tras un trágico accidente en el que murieron sus padres. Cinco años después su hermano muere de cáncer y ahora está solo y sin ganas de vivir... en el momento que está decidido a hacer lo impensable aparece Lucy para decirle que está embarazada de su difunto hermano y esa nueva vida le da fuerzas para seguir adelante.
Es un libro muy duro. Ver cómo Vaugh lucha intentando superar su duelo. El cómo nuestra familia favorita lo ayudan cada uno a su manera, cómo lo acogen desde el principio... El amor que crece entre él y Lucy. La relación que se establece desde el principio con Ava... Sin palabras.
Creo que Tina Kent se ha superado con creces con este libro, y aunque siempre os recomiendo que os leáis los libros por orden, este os lo podéis leer solo (aunque os podéis hacer un poco de lío con tanto familiar suelto sin saber quien es quien, pero solo es en contadas ocasiones, podéis conocer a la familia a la vez que lo va haciendo Vaughn).
Me ha parecido precioso.
Romántica Contemporánea / Drama / Familia encontrada
Mi libro favorito de toda la saga.
He llorado muchísimo.
Vaughn se hizo cargo a los 18 de su hermano pequeño tras un trágico accidente en el que murieron sus padres. Cinco años después su hermano muere de cáncer y ahora está solo y sin ganas de vivir... en el momento que está decidido a hacer lo impensable aparece Lucy para decirle que está embarazada de su difunto hermano y esa nueva vida le da fuerzas para seguir adelante.
Es un libro muy duro. Ver cómo Vaugh lucha intentando superar su duelo. El cómo nuestra familia favorita lo ayudan cada uno a su manera, cómo lo acogen desde el principio... El amor que crece entre él y Lucy. La relación que se establece desde el principio con Ava... Sin palabras.
Creo que Tina Kent se ha superado con creces con este libro, y aunque siempre os recomiendo que os leáis los libros por orden, este os lo podéis leer solo (aunque os podéis hacer un poco de lío con tanto familiar suelto sin saber quien es quien, pero solo es en contadas ocasiones, podéis conocer a la familia a la vez que lo va haciendo Vaughn).
Me ha parecido precioso.
May 19, 2023
meh, la verdad es que me lo esperaba mejor 🤷🏻♀️.
December 14, 2021
LINDA KAGE DID IT AGAIN
Even when I forgot every name and relation from the forbidden men series y absolutely loved this whole new story.
Vaughn and Lucy Olivia are the cutest and I can't wait for Chloe's book!!!! I BET SHE'S GONNA END UP WITH LUKE :D
Linda, honey, keep the good work and please add a family tree at the beginning of the book I beg you.
Even when I forgot every name and relation from the forbidden men series y absolutely loved this whole new story.
Vaughn and Lucy Olivia are the cutest and I can't wait for Chloe's book!!!! I BET SHE'S GONNA END UP WITH LUKE :D
Linda, honey, keep the good work and please add a family tree at the beginning of the book I beg you.
December 10, 2021
I do have to put a trigger warning in my review just to forewarn future readers: Trigger Warning: Suicide Ideation is in the beginning of the book.
Insta-Family is an amazingly written, beautiful, and heartwarming book. I enjoyed reading Vaughn and Lucy Oliva's story so much. Their characters are so well written and incredibly well rounded that you can't help but feel the incredible love that they have for each other and Lucy's baby girl. I felt every inch of Vaughn's grief through out the book, and reading about him and how he handled his struggles was amazing. He is probably one of the few characters that I have read about where I can truly feel is grief coming off the page as I was reading about his life and pain.
I really enjoyed the plot of the book, it is a beautiful and heartfelt read that complements the universe of the Forbidden Men very nicely. If you are a fan of the first generation then you will be a fan of the Decedents. And if you are missing some of your favorite Forbidden Men you get a nice little peak of a few of them in Insta-Family.
Insta-Family is an amazingly written, beautiful, and heartwarming book. I enjoyed reading Vaughn and Lucy Oliva's story so much. Their characters are so well written and incredibly well rounded that you can't help but feel the incredible love that they have for each other and Lucy's baby girl. I felt every inch of Vaughn's grief through out the book, and reading about him and how he handled his struggles was amazing. He is probably one of the few characters that I have read about where I can truly feel is grief coming off the page as I was reading about his life and pain.
I really enjoyed the plot of the book, it is a beautiful and heartfelt read that complements the universe of the Forbidden Men very nicely. If you are a fan of the first generation then you will be a fan of the Decedents. And if you are missing some of your favorite Forbidden Men you get a nice little peak of a few of them in Insta-Family.
April 24, 2023
No estaba preparada para lo duro que me iba a golpear este libro, Vaughn es un pan de Dios que se merece todo en la vida, durante todo el libro solo quería abrazarlo y decirle que todo iba a estar bien.
Lo único malo que le vi es que se solucionó todo demasiado fácil, me abría gustado que alguien llevará a Vaughn a terapia y ver su progreso a lo largo del libro y que esperaba saber más de los otros primos necesito que está saga continúe por favor.
Lo único malo que le vi es que se solucionó todo demasiado fácil, me abría gustado que alguien llevará a Vaughn a terapia y ver su progreso a lo largo del libro y que esperaba saber más de los otros primos necesito que está saga continúe por favor.
April 7, 2022
I loved the story, very well captured the pain of loss, grief, remorse, the happiness of loving and being a part of someone again. For me of all the books of this second generation, it is the one that most resembles the Forbidden Men.
December 29, 2021
That was one weird story.
January 11, 2022
The expanded ratings at a glance:
Plot- 4.5⭐
Spice- 3.5⭐
Overall- 5⭐
Characters- 5⭐
TW: 1. Suicide ideation
2. Death by terminal illness of a blood relative
These were the trigger warnings I felt to be very important. Please check before reading.
This book is a spin off of Forbidden series (2nd generation) which I did read and loved!!
The book was intriguing with its unique plot. This is not my first read by this author. I haved liked a majority of her books. So, the fact that I enjoyed this book came to me as no big suprise. But, what did suprise me was the theme, though this author does tackle unique themes and plotlines very well.
I loved Vaughn and Lucy. The fc's daughter is so adorable🥺. I had mixed feeling about the mc's brother. I could understand why he did what he did but I did not like it. I loved seeing the 1st generation of the Forbidden series. The felt like Easter Eggs.
The side characters were good as usual like all of the author's other books. Excited for Chloe's story!!!!
The grief was handled very realistically.
I appreciate the author for showing Vaughn as a vulnerable mc who expresses his emotions and cries. Because, as much as I appreciate a ice-hearted brooding, stone cold protagonist who does not express emotions or is vulnerable, it is vital to show mcs who do the opposite as well. So that there is no generalization and to show that it is as necessary as the former and people specially males can handle grief in the way they handle grief. It helps to kick away the toxic masculinity surrounding aroud men and showing emptions or crying.
Therapy for grief was also portrayed which is very important.
The last few chapters were very bone chilling.
The book was very very good. Will 10/10 recommend and 100% read again. It is going to my book tbrr.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Plot- 4.5⭐
Spice- 3.5⭐
Overall- 5⭐
Characters- 5⭐
TW: 1. Suicide ideation
2. Death by terminal illness of a blood relative
These were the trigger warnings I felt to be very important. Please check before reading.
This book is a spin off of Forbidden series (2nd generation) which I did read and loved!!
The book was intriguing with its unique plot. This is not my first read by this author. I haved liked a majority of her books. So, the fact that I enjoyed this book came to me as no big suprise. But, what did suprise me was the theme, though this author does tackle unique themes and plotlines very well.
I loved Vaughn and Lucy. The fc's daughter is so adorable🥺. I had mixed feeling about the mc's brother. I could understand why he did what he did but I did not like it. I loved seeing the 1st generation of the Forbidden series. The felt like Easter Eggs.
The side characters were good as usual like all of the author's other books. Excited for Chloe's story!!!!
The grief was handled very realistically.
I appreciate the author for showing Vaughn as a vulnerable mc who expresses his emotions and cries. Because, as much as I appreciate a ice-hearted brooding, stone cold protagonist who does not express emotions or is vulnerable, it is vital to show mcs who do the opposite as well. So that there is no generalization and to show that it is as necessary as the former and people specially males can handle grief in the way they handle grief. It helps to kick away the toxic masculinity surrounding aroud men and showing emptions or crying.
Therapy for grief was also portrayed which is very important.
The last few chapters were very bone chilling.
The book was very very good. Will 10/10 recommend and 100% read again. It is going to my book tbrr.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 14, 2021
ME ENCANTÓ
Ya de por sí la premisa me parece genial y desgarradora a la vez, conocer más sobre Lucy Olivia era algo que quería desde que leí el extra en el libro anterior.
Vaughn es el hombre más bueno que Linda pudo escribir, se merece todo lo bueno del mundo.
Siempre me gusta volver a leer a todos los personajes y cómo va cambiando la dinámica entre ellos, es como volver a casa.
Los primeros capítulos me los pasé llorando era muy triste toda la situación de Vaughn, y que Lucy lo haya visitado justo en ESA situación me rompe el alma.
Como siempre, recomiendo mucho estos libros, son ligeros, tienen una muy buena historia y está muy bien escrito, además de que los personajes son entrañables.
YA quiero conocer la historia de Chloe!
Pd: Linda quiero el libro de JB
Ya de por sí la premisa me parece genial y desgarradora a la vez, conocer más sobre Lucy Olivia era algo que quería desde que leí el extra en el libro anterior.
Vaughn es el hombre más bueno que Linda pudo escribir, se merece todo lo bueno del mundo.
Siempre me gusta volver a leer a todos los personajes y cómo va cambiando la dinámica entre ellos, es como volver a casa.
Los primeros capítulos me los pasé llorando era muy triste toda la situación de Vaughn, y que Lucy lo haya visitado justo en ESA situación me rompe el alma.
Como siempre, recomiendo mucho estos libros, son ligeros, tienen una muy buena historia y está muy bien escrito, además de que los personajes son entrañables.
YA quiero conocer la historia de Chloe!
Pd: Linda quiero el libro de JB
January 1, 2022
I'm such a huge fan of Linda Kage she has written some of my all time favorite stories and I'm excited to read more by her in the future . Insta - Family is part if the next generation spin off the heroines parents love story is To Professor, with Love it's book two in the Forbidden Men series and it too is part of a series I highly recommend . I adored the chemistry between the couple the way they meet is very different from what I would normally read , it was a huge benefit that this is told in dual point of views that way the reader could feel what the characters felt . I also loved the little parts were I got to see old characters from previous book . Can't wait to read more by this talented author I'm obsessed with her books very much .
heroine 5
hero 5
secondary characters 4
steam 3
heroine 5
hero 5
secondary characters 4
steam 3
December 13, 2021
And Linda Kage strikes again!
Every time I start reading a new book from her, I go in with the thought this is going to be a good book. And by the time I'm finishing the book, I'm a mess, because I don't want to be read the words "The End". I get addicted all over again about her writing and that prompts me to reread other books of hers (right now, after I finished Insta-family, I started reading "The girl's got secrets").
I took four days to finish this book and not because it was boring, but because I didn't want it to end.
This is Lucy Olivia's story, the daughter of Aspen and Noel. We've got a glimpse of her in Secrets that we keep and then I thought is going to be a bit complicated to build the story around that plot, but, hey, we have Linda at the typing machine!
Both characters were well-developed and though I thought that Lucy will be the focus of this story (not that she isn't), Vaughn surprised me by being so raw and true to himself. He is vulnerable and he is not ashamed to show it and also when he accepts his grieving, he is strong enough to accept help.
Lucy Olivia is a good-doer and that's what got her in this situation. But, as much as difficult it is for her, she's not regretting a thing, and she manages the changes quite well. Even though she has a soft heart she's also strong and will do anything for the ones she loves (even fighting a man twice as she with her bare hands).
I loved how Luke and Trick jumped up to help her and both scenes were funny, and how all the people from the group were so supportive. I really enjoyed the little glimpses we got from a lot of the FB group and descendants.
I must confess I cried a lot at the begging of the book, Linda has a way to express so beautifully the pain and loss that Vaughn is feeling.
So, if you loved the FB universe and want to know how the characters are doing nowadays and also how Lucy Olivia is dealing with being a mom, go grab this book because you won't regret it!
Also, I can't wait for Chloe and Luke's story (I have a feeling that their story will be heartbreaking too).
Every time I start reading a new book from her, I go in with the thought this is going to be a good book. And by the time I'm finishing the book, I'm a mess, because I don't want to be read the words "The End". I get addicted all over again about her writing and that prompts me to reread other books of hers (right now, after I finished Insta-family, I started reading "The girl's got secrets").
I took four days to finish this book and not because it was boring, but because I didn't want it to end.
This is Lucy Olivia's story, the daughter of Aspen and Noel. We've got a glimpse of her in Secrets that we keep and then I thought is going to be a bit complicated to build the story around that plot, but, hey, we have Linda at the typing machine!
Both characters were well-developed and though I thought that Lucy will be the focus of this story (not that she isn't), Vaughn surprised me by being so raw and true to himself. He is vulnerable and he is not ashamed to show it and also when he accepts his grieving, he is strong enough to accept help.
Lucy Olivia is a good-doer and that's what got her in this situation. But, as much as difficult it is for her, she's not regretting a thing, and she manages the changes quite well. Even though she has a soft heart she's also strong and will do anything for the ones she loves (even fighting a man twice as she with her bare hands).
I loved how Luke and Trick jumped up to help her and both scenes were funny, and how all the people from the group were so supportive. I really enjoyed the little glimpses we got from a lot of the FB group and descendants.
I must confess I cried a lot at the begging of the book, Linda has a way to express so beautifully the pain and loss that Vaughn is feeling.
So, if you loved the FB universe and want to know how the characters are doing nowadays and also how Lucy Olivia is dealing with being a mom, go grab this book because you won't regret it!
Also, I can't wait for Chloe and Luke's story (I have a feeling that their story will be heartbreaking too).
September 9, 2022
4.5 ⭐
Vaughn es un solecito y me gustó ver como fue sanando
Lucy me desesperó cómo trataba a Vaughn al principio, pero era comprensible.
Ava es un solecito igual que su papá.
Me encantó que todos siguen siendo muy cercanos.
Necesito un árbol genealógico que me perdía cuando presentaban a alguien nuevo.
¿El siguiente libro es de Chloe y Luke??
Vaughn es un solecito y me gustó ver como fue sanando
Lucy me desesperó cómo trataba a Vaughn al principio, pero era comprensible.
Ava es un solecito igual que su papá.
Me encantó que todos siguen siendo muy cercanos.
Necesito un árbol genealógico que me perdía cuando presentaban a alguien nuevo.
¿El siguiente libro es de Chloe y Luke??
December 10, 2021
Solo puedo decir que me gustó mucho y sobre todo amé a Vaughn. Creo que el haber pasado por situaciones similares hizo que le tenga cariño a este personaje, también me gustó leer a Lucy y Ava. Honestamente a toda esta familia le tengo mucho cariño y siempre me hace feliz leerlos. Ahora solo me toca esperar ansiosamente el siguiente, además de que es sobre el personaje que más espero leer.
September 15, 2022
3.5⭐
Estos libros me tienen completamente enganchada y sus personajes me hacen muy feliz. Me encantó ver a Noel y a Aspen 😍 y a Eva y a Pick, estoy tan contenta por ellos😍😍😍😍y muy orgullosa de la familia Forbidden.
Ahora necesito el libro de Chloe...
Estos libros me tienen completamente enganchada y sus personajes me hacen muy feliz. Me encantó ver a Noel y a Aspen 😍 y a Eva y a Pick, estoy tan contenta por ellos😍😍😍😍y muy orgullosa de la familia Forbidden.
Ahora necesito el libro de Chloe...
December 9, 2021
This book... omg the feelings.. Having lost a son to cancer the 1st part of the book truly had me in tears. I loved the progression of the story, the relationship..not just of the main characters' but also the extended characters and how they embraced Vaughn during his difficult time. Loved the HEA!
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.
December 24, 2021
Lucy is a new single mom. Vaughn is the baby uncle. Insta-Family will have you crying and laughing. I loved how the family is so warm and caring. This is my first book by Linda Kage and I loved the book!! I received an ARC copy from BookSirens for my honest opinion. Definitely recommend you read this book.
#Insta-Family #LindaKage #Booksirens
#Insta-Family #LindaKage #Booksirens
March 8, 2022
4.5 stars
July 17, 2022
Well written story
I was curious about this book because it kept popping up in Amazon, I use KU and rarely buy books outright. The story was great and I loved Vaughn the main male character. What I didn't know is that this is obviously a book in an interconnected series. So many people to try to keep straight was too much for me, so while this was a good book, all the extras were not.
I was curious about this book because it kept popping up in Amazon, I use KU and rarely buy books outright. The story was great and I loved Vaughn the main male character. What I didn't know is that this is obviously a book in an interconnected series. So many people to try to keep straight was too much for me, so while this was a good book, all the extras were not.
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