New Release from Sawyer Bennett!
The Forbidden (Bluegrass Empires #2)
The prince of his family’s Kentucky bourbon empire, Gabriel Mardraggon is a ruthless and cunning businessman. Focused on the continued success of Mardraggon Enterprises, relationships and settling down aren’t even on his radar. After all, he’s the product of two people who always put money before love. Loyal to the family’s creed of winning at all costs, as well as their hatred of the Blackburns, Gabe will never accept peace between the dynasties.
Katherine Blackburn is Gabe’s polar opposite—carefree, lighthearted and completely mischievous. Kat works hard as a horse trainer but never hesitates to let her hair down and have a little fun. And lately that has included poking at Gabe and his buttoned-up ways, much to his irritation. Getting a rise out of the cold but gorgeous Mardraggon heir brings Kat unfettered joy, especially given their two families’ ugly history together.
Blackburns and Mardraggons are bitter enemies. Any type of relationship would be strictly forbidden. But when Gabe’s business dealings hurt Kat in a way he never imagined, his walls crumble and he’s forced to lay his feelings for Kat bare. Now Gabe has to decide if he’s ready to alter the course of history or walk away from the only genuine thing he’s ever known.
The Forbidden: A Mardraggon Novel is an enemies to lovers novel within the Bluegrass Empires series. All books in the series can be enjoyed as standalones.
Grab your copy of The Forbidden directly from Sawyer by shopping the Sawyer Bennett Bookstore!
E-Book: https://geni.us/STORE_ForbiddenEbook
Audio (narrated by Sean Masters and Kit Swann): https://geni.us/STORE_ForbiddenAudio
Signed paperback (available to US mailing addresses): https://geni.us/STORE_ForbiddenPB
You can also get The Forbidden at the following retailers:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3EUT6pJ
Nook: https://bit.ly/3PGl8ue
Apple: https://apple.co/3PwViIT
Google: https://bit.ly/4btlL4c
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3PBfTf2
Try it before you buy it! Click below to READ or HEAR a sample of The Forbidden:
READ the first three chapters: https://geni.us/TheForbidden_Chapters
HEAR a sample (narrated by Sean Masters and Kit Swann): https://geni.us/TheForbidden_Audio
Review:
Gotta love a good enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story, amirite? 😉
Kat and Gabe’s story was heavily hinted at in the first book, and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed watching the two of them gradually grow closer (it’s fairly slow burn-ish) and finally work out their complicated feelings around their first breakup, eight years earlier. It can be tricky, convincing the readers that a couple who crashed and burned the first time around can really make it this time–but honestly, if any couple is going to have a legitimate reason why *this time will be different* it’s one that was really young the first time around. They’ve got the “we needed to finish growing up and figure ourselves out” excuse in their corner, and Kat and Gabe offered a prime example.
I loved that both Gabe and Kat are both close to Sylvie, so we got to see plenty of her here too. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet!
I listened to the audiobook version, and really liked the way the dual narrators handled their lines. They each did a convincing job narrating different voices, which isn’t always the case. If you’re a fan of reading via audio, I definitely recommend giving this one a listen!
The Forbidden is the second book in the author’s Bluegrass Empires series, and though I suppose you *could*just read this one, it’s really better because of the the underlying series arc here that you read them all in order and get the full reader experience 😉
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
About the Author:
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
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