Wanting More

Small Town Forbidden Love #2

by Katerina Winters

Abandoned by her mother.

Forced out of her home.

Rejected by her so called "uncle."

It was safe to say life wasn't looking so great.

Fine. Sapphire didn't need them anyway. She would survive this crappy small town and endure the stares from the locals just until graduation, and then she was out of here and never looking back.

That was the plan, until they saw her. The Heathens.

Rough, violent, and ruthless, they laid claim to the town. They were fearless. Brutal. Unstoppable.

Giving her no choice, they pulled her into their world, telling her it was for her own good.

She was prepared to fight them every step of the way, to show them and anyone else in this damn town she was in control of her life and no one else. But she didn't expect these two powerful men show her warmth. She didn't expect them to look at her and truly see her.

Every day, she was getting pulled in more and more into their lives and further ensnared in this town.

She had to get out of here. She couldn't focus on the need in their eyes or the clash of jealousy between them when it came to her. She had her plan, dammit. She had to get out of here. Didn't she?

A small town forbidden romance.

♥♥Warning: This slow burn has one girl and two ruthless men who will stop at nothing to have her in their world. This is book one of a duology. This book will end on a cliffhanger. This series has a HEA and contains graphic content.♥♥

Genres: High School, Romance

397 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 26, 2022

About the author

“Her writing is a lot like chocolate, dark and very sweet.”

From contemporary to fantasy, Katerina Winters weaves dark tales of romance together with strong possessive men and sexy rendezvous.

Katerina lives in a tiny brick house surrounded by trees in Texas with her husband and their dog. When she isn’t writing, Katerina is usually catching brunch with friends or curled up on her window seat with a good book.

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Want to know more about Katerina?
Feel free to stalk her.

facebook.com/katerinawintersauthor
Instagram - @katerina_winters

Reviews

[100sweet]

DNF @ 45%.

I am definitely not comfortable with this poor girl being pursued by these men. It was also slow and boring. Too bad because I like this author.

[Azet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was mhmmmm (you can guess by the cover)

I cannot believe i am starting my reading year with this book and IT EVEN HAS A SECUEL with the third Heathen member,omg Vic is sooooo hot i am excited for that! Though i was quite surprised with the blatant chemistry between him and Sapphire because of her menage thing going on with Joel & Hayden. But DAYMMMM this author is really going for it!KYAAAA

[KL Cassanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the slowest of slow burns, with the steaminess not beginning until much later in the book. Sapphire is sent away by her mother to a small town to finish high school. Joel and Hayden, best friends/business owners, take an interest in her safety. But she's an amazingly strong young woman, enduring the rejection by her mother, bullying at school, the scorn of many townspeople, a quite unsafe living situation, and her growing feelings for both of her saviors. I'm not generally a cliffhanger fan, but I'm okay with this one as it was disclosed in advance. I truly enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the rest of their story. I received an advance copy of the book, and this is my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a slow burn romance emphasis on slow. There was great character development but once they realized they all wanted to be together it took way too long for anyone to make a move. It was too slow for my taste. It was not until 80 percent way done that they finally made a move. I prefer them to make a move right at the half way mark of the book. I loved all of the characters and the story just lost stars for taking too long to man up and make a move.

[Shirley Rentzel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

Honestly this book is in the top ten most boring books that I've read. I surprised myself since I made it to chapter fourteen! Run from this book! Shirley

[Camila · Rating 1 out of 5]

she's 18
they called her "kid"
nope.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanting More is the first book that ive read by this writer and i loved it. So much so i think i may have found a writer to add to the list of ones i like and i will definitely look out for more books by her.

Back to this book 18 year old Sapphire (FMC) ends up being dumped in a new town (one where her so called uncle - Joel no relation at all!) lives. Hoping that he will help her out but Sapphire has had to take care of herself especially with an non-existent, self-centered mother. I liked Sapphire, she was strong & sassy but also really sweet. Even with everything she went through in this book. Her dynamic with Joel & Hayden even though it started off slowly did keep me engaged. I genuinely liked them. That cliffhanger ending was a jaw dropper!! A knockout read

[Elysia’s Book Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all - I just want to say how much I have enjoyed reading all of this wonderful authors' work! She knows just how to peak my interest with her trope preferences. As for this story, Sapphire and her boys made for an entertaining delve into a trope I typically stay away from - RH!. The only thing keeping this from a perfect score for me is this slow burn was just a little too slow for my tastes. I am not a fan of cliffhangers either but I won't hold that against the author in this case. Either way, I am looking forward to the next book and finishing up their story!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow burn romance

This is a slow burn romance emphasis on slow. There was great character development but once they realized they all wanted to be together it took way too long for anyone to make a move. It was too slow for my taste. It was not until 80 percent way done that they finally made a move. I prefer them to make a move right at the half way mark of the book. I loved all of the characters and the story just lost stars for taking too long to man up and make a move.

[Laulau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow burn and angst, a lot of what I don't want vs what want and what I wouldn't do vs what I would. The actual reverse harem part shows up towards the end around 80% of the book and it ends in a cliffhanger, however the second part is already out. The reverse harem is good as it should be when authors write this type of books. Won't disappoint and in the second part it adds one more male character to the MFM, so it turns into MFMM or something like that. A lot of goldilocks references.

[Tianna✸loves books✸]

Although I like this author, this book just didn’t do it for me.
It was all too cheesy.

[S C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Winters is one of those rare authors of romance that balances a fascinating set of characters who are not cliche, a thoughtful story arc and a whole lot of yearning that builds up into a massive amount of steam. Her latest book reflects all these elements! The heroine Sapphire is an old soul who is fascinating to the two male heroes. I love that their relationship starts off with mutual fascination. They are intrigued by each other and that shifts to attraction. I usually prefer instalove but I really felt like the slow burn worked best for the three of them. They built trust and friendship before moving to a romantic and sexual relationship. Don’t get me wrong…the build up doesn’t mean that the heroes aren’t alpha and all the sexiness that entails. They are very alpha but with an empathy edge that is exactly what the heroine needs. The steam doesn’t peak until 3/4 into the book but the writing is so strong, the characters are so crisp and the yearning is so palpable that it feels incredibly steamy. There was a bit of the taboo element with one of the heroes - Joel - who was sort of an uncle to Sapphire, though not by blood. The book does end on a cliffhanger! I can’t wait for the next book.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I like seeing their growth and becoming more open with themselves and each other. I sometimes wished the mfc communicated more and stood up for herself more instead of just shutting down, especially with the school situation. I wonder if there will be a resolution with her mom and if she finds out more about/meets her dad since they think shes biracial but not sure with what. It was definitely a slow burn, seeing as how it didn't start getting steamy until closer to 80%. But that gave the characters time to develop an actual relationship instead of instalove. I would have liked if the author labeled the chapters/paragraphs with the characters whose pov it was. It wasn't hard to figure out after reading, but I like knowing whose pov I'm reading. Other than that and that crazy cliffy at the end I'm definitely stoked to read the next book to see what happens next and the aftermath, and also how the 3rd LI comes into play and how the guys adjust seeing as how they're already battling their jealousy with each other. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this slow-burn menage (soon to be RH) a lot and I usually stay away from the slow burners. The difference with this book was the storyline and writing kept my attention riveted. It was so rewarding seeing the walls and armour Sapphire had perfected for years start to come apart and dissolve under the earnest care and concern of Joel and Hayden - her kind-of-but-not-truly-related uncles. Joel and Hayden had their own walls and it was sweet to witness them opening up and allowing their affection for Sapphire to develop.

So many stories with menage and RH never deal with the hard parts of it - i.e. what happens between the men. Jealousy issues are never really addressed and any sore feelings are fleeting. I like that Katerina doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable, not-so-romantic feelings and faces them head on - it makes the story feel more real and the resulting relationship more rewarding. This book does end on a cliffy but yay the second book is already out!

[Dee Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, I cannot say this enough times - I hate cliffhangers! And this is one of the best/worst cliffhangers I’ve ever read.
Sapphire is a strong, determined and self-reliant almost 18 year old. She is an awesome heroine and I truly felt for her and the horrible situation she was in.
Joel, Hayden and Vic are dominant, aggressive ex-biker brothers turned business owners. They are strong of body, mind and will and never let anything get past them.
This story is a slow-burn with a dark undercurrent of violence in the town held back by the three “Heathens” as they are known.
When Sapphire becomes the focus of Joel and Hayden’s good intentions after a terrifying incident the burn begins.
Twists and turns, high emotion, bullying, steam, danger and brilliant writing make this a gripping must read. Cannot wait to read the sequel.

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

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

I thought the story was ok. It was a classic ménage story, no twists or anything. I have enjoyed other books by this author more. I just felt like this one fell a little flat. It seemed like there was supposed to be some internal conflict within the female MC, but it wasn’t really resolved, especially given the rumors she had to deal with in town. Also, the conflict between the 2 male MC’s also didn’t really work with a ménage relationship. They seemed jealous of each other and it just didn’t seem like a balanced relationship that you’d typically see in ménage books. I generally suspend my disbelief when reading fictional stories, but even with that, I felt there was a lot of unresolved internal and external conflicts in the characters.
Overall, it was an alright read.

[Ally Doby (Schleicher) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was interesting and not like some of the RH books I have read. It held my attention, and lost it in some places where I felt it was dragging a bit. The story is told in third person POV, and leaves you on a cliffhanger, but I don’t mind the wait.

Sapphire seems much older than her 18 years, considering her past, I can see why. This is the first RH I have read where the male MCs show a lot of jealousy. Hayden and Joel would be with her, but they didn’t show a lot of after care for her. The slow burn was great and I’m glad they opened up to her and she opened up to them about their pasts.

This is the first time reading from this author and I will read the next book in the series. I received an ARC copy from Hidden Gems and this is my own take and opinion for this review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing story. Sapphire is an eighteen-year-old thrust into being on her own when her mother decides to Move to Mexico to marry. She calls her foster brother to take Sapphire in but tells her no right up front but when Sapphire gets to her destination town it just so happens to be where the foster brother is and that is where her journey begins. Their relationship evolves around the MC brothers and their dynamics of forming a bond with Sapphire. It is filled with twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages to see how their journey ends. I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is by an author I was unfamiliar with, but I'm so glad I took the chance! The journey started with this girl being rejected repeatedly and then she finally ended up with these men taking care of her and accepting her exactly as she was. And in turn she did the same for them. It had a lot of emotional vulnerability before anything got physical. I appreciated this, it made the romance more real, giving the characters time to develop real feelings before getting sexually involved.

I honestly can't wait to get my hands onto the second one!

I received an ARC copy via hidden gems and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seriously love small town forbidden romance so when this one came along I wanted it right away. It totally lived up to what I was hoping for. Now this one is MFM romance and is about Sapphire. What do you do when life deals you something bad? You try to survive. Now things may look up a bit when she is taken in by Joel and Hayden. Joel is a former foster brother of Sapphire's mom so no connection there really but still something. There is an age gap which I like and I am looking forward to the next one! It may even turn RH which is my favorite kind of book.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a duology. Sapphire is strong, determined, and resilient, and a survivor, who intends to leave the small town as soon as she can. Joel and Hayden are best friends and business partners, who are rough, brutal, violent, ruthless, and unstoppable, and they become Sapphire’s saviours. This is a well written story which is a small-town romance, with violence, bullying, jealousy, emotions, twists, danger, suspense, and is a steamy and thrilling page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan Klipp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. It was definitely a slow burn but I was never bored. The build gave me time to really get to know the characters. I was totally invested with the sizzle started. And wow! It really was some sizzle! Katerina lets you know there is a cliffhanger, but this one actually made me gasp out loud! I am not usually a drama reader, but wow! I went and bought both this book and the next for my own collection.

[Nilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, how I wish I could give this book a great rating. I could not finish this book. It has potential but I guess when it says slow burn it really means slow. You don't get into the good stuff until much later in the book. There is so much misunderstanding between all the characters that you just don't know where this is heading until very late in the book. It left me wanting more but not getting more.

I did not, could not finish this book.

[Lana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me just start off by saying that I am not a huge fan of the reverse harem genre but I figured that since Katerina wrote it then I would give it a try. I was not disappointed at all. The heroine Sapphire was likable and she made you root for her. The chemistry between Hayden, Sapphire and Joel was amazing. I would definitely recommend this book.

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

[TELA666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very slow burn physically but not emotionally and once it turns physical it's not a Haalmark chaste ending.
This is part one of a duo and the menage turns to a RH after a cliffhanger end to this book.
There is an unusual twist, in that there is jealousy between the Heathens and the progression is not simple.

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

[Milinda (Mindy) Harper · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with the characters, the story just wasn’t working for me personally.
It has potential but I didn’t like the conflict within the trio.

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

[Ann Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable book that was a slow burn romance. The characters were well developed and interesting. There was a lot of emotion and the characters relationship felt real. Looking forward to the next book.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Small Town Forbidden Love series. The story is well written and kept me turning pages, but it ends on a cliff-hanger. I will be reading the next book to find out what happens. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Veronica Albertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying this one. It’s well put together and the story and characters are coming together nicely! Grab your copy and give it a go.

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

[S I · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanting More by Katerine Winters
First time for me for this author’s work and it’s a great read. Slow burn so we get a bit of a background, watch the magic work. The characters are interesting and we have a cliffhanger to see what will happen. Can’t wait for book 2.