Book Review #contemporaryromance #ARC #michelelenard #secondchanceromance #strictlyforbiddenintent #newbookrelease
With this book we see a very highly anticipated couple get their HEA. Michele Lenard has spent the last few books lightly teasing this couple and I found this book to be perfectly delightful. Lenard perfectly balances the start of this "forbidden" romance and then time jumps to their second chance. Lenard's writing is well paced, easily readable and engaging, her character's fully realized, and wonderfully charged with sweetness, angst and heart.
This romance between Wes and Sawyer is one that has been building and bubbling during their parents romances. I loved watching these two teenager, turned step siblings battle with their attraction, learn the joys and sorrows of first love, and learn to understand growth and truth. Wes is an absolute cinnamon roll, he is so kind and open and really fights hard for his relationship with Sawyer. Wes is patient and understanding at every step of the way when it comes to Sawyer, he knows when to take a step back or when to push a little harder. I really love that Wes truly sees Sawyer and her needs. Sawyer is strong, independent and at times closed off. But when she is with Wes, she is her true self. I love that these two are able to establish a beautiful foundation of understanding and trust, sadly Sawyer is shaped by her past and she has a really hard time always staying truthful to herself and seeing and understanding someone's intensions. This leads to our mid plot breakup but it provides the perfect story structure for Lenard to place their falling in love and then their rediscovery of their love. The chemistry between these two is on fire and their romance is definitely steamy, Lenard does a great job of balancing this through out the novel making moments of their romance so sweetly endearing as well as perfectly angsty.
This novel was the perfect wrap up of this delightful series. I have truly enjoyed stepping into Michele's world and have love watching her craft grow and strengthen. This book is the perfect cherry on top of this sweet and charming series, and it is definitely my favorite in the bunch. I would definitely highly recommend checking out this entire series, it is the perfect escape if you are looking for romances that are light and full of heart.
Thank you so much to Michele Lenard for providing me with an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.