Annie Rain’s Forbidden Kisses is a contemporary twist on the second chance for love romance. The ability to forgive and to move forward are themes that are woven throughout this well-paced novel.
Jack Sawyer hires Grace Donner as the office manager for his family’s seafood business. His brothers are unhappy with his choice because Grace’s mother was married to their father and their divorce was bitter.

Jack is at a turning point in his career. His best friend died in a boating accident and a grieving Jack has lost the desire to continue fishing for his family business. He is interested in striking out on his own and starting a marine building company but, he is worried about his family’s reaction to his decision. Grace needs the office manager position at Sawyer Seafood to pay for her mother’s medicine and other medical expenses. Because of the animosity between the families, Grace feels compelled to resolve the situation between them.

The chemistry between Jack and Grace drew me into the story. I loved the scene when Jack and Grace are needed to take over a delivery run on short notice. After making the deliveries, they share a meal and decide to take a walk before driving home. The unspoken attraction between the couple intensifies as they walk through the busy tourist town. Jack and Grace find it easy to talk to each other and Jack becomes aware that he’s not thinking of her solely as a friend.


Grace and Jack decide to move forward with their relationship and agree to keep their romance a secret from their family and friends. Their relationship is tested several times. Loved when Jack went to Grace’s for dinner only to find her mother seated at the dinner table. The evening does not go as planned because Grace miscalculated Jack’s ability to forgive and forget. The animosity between Jack and Tammy Donner has not faded with time. The dialogue between the two characters is very emotional and direct. The author does a fabulous job capturing the reactions of Jack’s Father and brother Noah when they learn about Jack and Grace. I could feel Noah’s hurt and disappointment when he found out that his brother’s relationship with Grace was sexual.

The couple’s trust issues resurface and their relationship falters. The last few chapters are exceptionally well crafted—the dialogue is honest and the characters recognize their mistakes and learn from them. Can Jack and Grace have a relationship without their family members’ interference? Can they trust each other and believe the best of each other? The well –written conclusion to this novel took me by surprise… but, was perfect for this couple.

I received an ARC from the publisher and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

This was an OK read. I did enjoy it and was rooting for Jack and Grace. They are ex step siblings and have always been attracted to each other. Their parents had a nasty divorce and hadn't seen each other since. I was really looking forward to their reunion and how they would deal with their complicated feelings.
There was something missing for sure. I was expecting more. There were sweet moments and a bit of excitement. However, this did not have me glued to my kindle.

4 Stars

The story has laughs, secrets, pain, and heartbreak.

This is Grace and Jack’s story. Grace and Jack have history. Her mother was married to his father and they went through a messy divorce. Now years later Grace still misses the time she was family with the Sawyer brothers. They need help and she can help them out. But Jack does not trust her after what her mother was like. Grace wants to lay the past to rest and prove he can be trusted. But the chemistry between her and Jack is off the charts and is messing with the progress she is trying to make. Can they learn to forget the past and move on or will he never learn that she can be trusted?

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I recommend this book.

Jack Sawyer is in need of someone to run the family business office. Grace Donner over hears him interviewing someone for the job. When she leaves, she applies for the job. All the old family hurts surface. Jack is willing to make amends but what about the rest of the family. He is the person always willing to give another a second chance. In giving Grace a second chance, he is taking one himself. Will they be able to make things work or will the family tear them apart. Not just the Sawyer family but Grace's mother Tammy. I enjoyed this book.

Jack, oh Jack. Fisherman and carpenter. Could there be a more manly hero for a romance story? His loyalty and care swept me off my feet. Grace has a strength that captivates both Jack and the reader. She's her mother's caretaker and that's the one thing that can be her weakness in not living her life for her. All the secondary characters are just as fascinating as Grace and Jack.

Annie Rains has once again created an amazing world perfect for romance readers to escape into. Her ability to weave a story that will have you enthralled and emotionally invested in the characters is uncanny. I'm am ready and waiting for the next book in the Blushing Bay Series!

Deception can be used in multiple ways and for many different reasons. Each one had their own reasons. Now let us step in to find out what was on the agenda for Jack and Grace. Secrets. Lies. Time.

Good characters. Small quaint town. Homey feel. Second chance to make it something. Jack and Grace have a chance to make the future theirs. But the wrong choices made may make this second chance hard to hold on to. There was a lot going on in this one. It was a bit more than the usual from Annie Rains. I was not thrown off by the bits of change going on in the norm. I liked that it was something a bit different than what she usually gives. I did find that some things went on a bit too long, but that had to do with the character and her flow. This made for an interesting read.

This is a slight bit different. But the quality of writing, depth of character, and homey feel are all still there. This was a read that will give you something to talk about.

The start of a sweet new series. The characters all have simmering emotions, loyalties and misconceptions to battle with, all in a picturesque fishing town.
I'd love to have more of an idea about the town, but I think we'll get there as the picture builds in the next book.
I adored the story of family, friendship, redemption and most of all love.
I look forward with anticipation to the next in series.

When I first read the premise for this story I couldn't see how an HEA was going to be possible for this couple because there were some obstacles for Jack and Grace to overcome. But since this was labeled a romance story I decided to have some faith and hope for the HEA, and it did get there. But man, Jack had some forgiveness to give and he so didn’t want to give it. But Grace made the right choices even though they were difficult and in the end it all worked out well. An overall sweet, emotional and enjoyable story.

* I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader copy of this book*

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
A sweet romance of about coming to terms with the past and how, if you let it, it will destroy your future.

There is rift between the Sawyers and Donners that has been festering for years, ever since Grace's mother, Tammy, sold off their prized possession: their deceased mother's belongings. Since then, Grace has been persona non grata with the Sawyer family and in the town of Blushing Bay. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and some of the townspeople believe that very thing.

Too bad that Grace is as hardheaded as they come. Determined to do things her own way, and to support her mother, who is in declining health, she barrels full steam ahead to do what she can to survive. After losing her job because she should wouldn't sleep with her boss, she's willing to take any job she can get, even if it is with the Sawyers.

Jack can't believe Grace is in the same diner as he is. It’s been a long time since he's seen her, since their crush back in high school, before their world came crashing down. In his head, he knows that Grace was just as innocent as him and his brothers when the battle lines were drawn, and he knew she had no choice but to support her mother when the smoke cleared.

Fifteen years is a long time to hold a grudge, to live with the what ifs and what might have been. Setting aside the past is harder than it seems but if they can learn from the past, will it save their future?


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is the first in a new series and so has some world building to do – and gives us some hints of future pairings.

I really could not get to like Grace very much and her mother not at all. I tried to give Grace the benefit of the doubt given who brought her up, but it was difficult. Obviously, she had her moments and couldn't be blamed for her mother's behaviour when she was married to Jack's dad. That Jack allowed chemistry to overcome good sense was a bit of a mystery to me on occasion. However, he believes in second chances, and wants to test out that spark that existed even when they were teenagers.

It was a well written story, which had some good turns of humour and romance.

If you like small town, second chance romances this is the book for you! It’s sweet with characters you can’t help but root for. This is the first book in the Blushing Bay Series by Annie Rains told from alternate POVs and the first book I've read by this author. It follows the Sawyer family consisting of three fabulous brothers that you can’t help but love. Their interactions and boisterous personalities are hilarious.

Jack Sawyer in particular is a sweet and forgiving soul. He’s about to take a chance on a girl, Grace, who was his step-sister until he lost her 15 years prior due to divorce when her mother did something horrible to the Sawyer family.

Years later Grace is saddled with an ill mother and no job. Her prospects are grim until she’s sitting in a café and overhears someone giving an interview. Desperate for a job Grace decides to take the initiative to present her qualifications in hopes she might be considered.

To her horror, after avoiding the Sawyer family for years, she’s faced with Jack, the potential employer. Furthermore, not only is he one of the Sawyer brothers but her first crush.

She’s mortified because she believes she’s hated by the entire family and ashamed of what her mother did to them. Unfortunately she has to swallow her pride as she’s desperate for a job that’ll keep a roof over he and her ill mothers head. Jack is shocked but can’t seem to resist the girl he once knew so well. So he ultimately gives her the job.

The chemistry between these two is palpable…as in HOT! There is no doubt about the feelings Grace and Jack have for each other and they fit well as a couple. The story was fun with a bit of angst and a heap of forgiveness.

I only had minor issues with Grace’s character. It felt almost like she was being too pushy in her treatment and judgments of Jack. Jack went through a horrible experience and I didn’t feel like Grace showed enough empathy. It felt like she was almost disregarding how much Jake was impacted, especially given who she is and the havoc her mother wreaked on the Sawyer family.

Either way it wasn’t enough to mar the story. It was well written, entertaining and sweetly romantic. I’d recommend it to anyone. I for one will definitely be reading more from this author in the future! I can’t wait to see more of the other two Sawyer brothers, Noah and Sam.

When two people are thrown back together after years of history and un-claimed chemistry it is bound to get interesting. Working through pain and healing these two navigate the waters of a relationship and whether or not it is worth the risk.

3.5 stars

Forbidden Kisses is the first book in the new Blushing Bay series by Annie Rains.
I enjoyed the storyline, it was well written and held my attention all throughout the book.
The characters Grace and Jack were likable, endearing and I enjoyed watching them come together.

Overall, Forbidden Kisses is a lovely afternoons read and a good start to the Blushing Bay series.

*Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

I loved, loved, loved Rains' Hero's Welcome series and I was very happy that many of the things that made those books great translated well to a new series. I enjoyed the relationship that develops between Jack and Grace. The whole former step-sibling thing isn't icky at all and I think their friendship from years ago helps to give them a good basis for something new. The bond among the Sawyers is great and Grace befriends a couple of women that are definitely getting their own story soon. Characters and connections are a couple of things that Rains does so well - they feel real and work together in a natural way - and I was thrilled that they show so strongly here.

I did have a couple of issues that were specific to this story (and have nothing at all to what a fantastic storyteller Rains is) - the death of Jack's friend and the dealings with Grace's mother.

We know that Chris and Jack were out on a boat fishing together and that he ... disappeared, I guess? Did they actually find a body? As I understand it Jack doesn't know when or how he went overboard, that he never heard him cry out or any kind of impact. Everything is so vague about what happened to Chris that I never really figured it out. I don't know if it is intentional and will come into play more later on or if we're just supposed to make assumptions. But I really wanted some kind of closure to it :)

The other is all tied up with Grace's mom and how she treated the Sawyer's all those years ago. Grace has had years living with her mom and can see that she's not the woman she was then but the two families have been avoiding each other all this time. To expect that the guys will just forgive and forget in about two minutes isn't realistic. They've been nursing their wounds for a while and it is going to take them a bit to get over them, even if Jack is sleeping with Grace. I see her side of it but I also understand his and it's not a good situation for either of them so a little patience on everyone's part is needed. It adds some extra drama to what is already a pretty troublesome situation.

Like with her other series, there are a lot of secondary characters that help drag you in and keep you turning pages. I'm definitely looking forward to what comes next for Jack's brothers. I'm pretty sure those two are going to have some more hardship to deal with before they can find their own happy ending.

I am super excited about this new series from Annie Rains and the Sawyer Brothers! I loved this book and can't wait for more.

Grace Donner is a desperate need for a job. After being let go from her former job and with a sick mother at home, she needs to find something quick before she finds herself sleeping in her car instead. So when she overhears a job interview taking place at the local coffee shop, that seems like the perfect fit for herself, she can't help but turn around and ask the man who is doing the interview if she can apply. She never expected that person to be her former step-brother and the boy she never forgot... Jack Sawyer.

It's been 15 years since Grace and her mother left his family, but there hasn't been a day that he hasn't thought of Grace. Sure they were step-siblings but the connection between the two of them had always been more. Now Grace is a woman in need and Jack is just the person to help her out despite what her mom did to his family. But not everyone will feel the same about Grace being a part of the Sawyer family once again.

As things start to escalate between Jack and Grace, Grace wants to keep their relationship a secret. At least until she can win the money from a fishing tournament and try to get back into the good graces of the Sawyer Family and all that her mom did to them.

I really loved Jack and Grace. They were fun together and the sexual tension between these two is through the roof. A great start to a fabulous new series!

I really liked this author's first series, Hero's Welcome and have been looking forward to her new series, Blushing Bay.  Fans of Annie Rains will not be disappointed.  Although this may not have been my favorite of her books, it is a good story and I look eagerly to hearing the stories of the other Sawyer siblings in the future. Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book.

I am participating on April 20, 2017 in the blog tour put on by tastybooktours.com at my blog, http://4thelvofreading.blogspot.com/

I have read every single one of Ms. Rains books, and there has not been a story yet of hers that hasn't hooked me from the very beginning, and this one was no different. From start to finish, this enemy to lovers-forbidden relationship trope encompassing book was riveting, fast-paced and drew me in because of what the heroine is going through. She needs a job, and needs one desperately. Will she be hired before it's too late? Will she and Jack be able to work together without too much difficulty?

The dialogue was well-written and entertaining due to the history their two families have, the obstacles these two face on their journey to happy ever after and what happens to one of the main characters at the end. Can they finally reconcile or was too much damage done by Grace's mother for their families to ever be on friendly terms? Will their families ever approve of a relationship between them? Furthermore, the heroine is strong, brave, loyal and I liked how determined she was to help her mother. Because the woman wants to make amends for all that she did, knowing what she did was very wrong and something her mother regrets so much.

While Jack, I could empathize with him because of what happened to his best friend. What is he supposed to do now when they were going to go into business together? Will he make their dream come true? Also, I liked the challenges the hero faces such as his family's reaction to his and Grace's relationship when the truth finally comes out; whether he can return to doing what he was doing when he lost his best friend; can he find it in his heart to forgive Grace's mother for all the hurt she caused; and whether he can find a way to convince Grace that they shouldn't let anything stop them from achieving their happy ever after.

Overall, Ms. Rains has penned a delightful read in this book, which encompassed a red hot romance; wonderful secondary characters that I can't wait to read more of; and an ending that had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after, as Jack found the perfect way to win Grace back. Although, I was concerned for one of the main characters with what happens to them. Will they be all right? I would recommend Forbidden Kisses by Annie Rains, if you enjoy the enemy to lovers trope, the forbidden relationship trope or books by authors Rachel Lacey, Melanie Shawn or Maisey Yates.

I was not able to connect with this title. The writing was choppy and as a result I could not really engage with the characters. As a result, I decided to DNF this title.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. The link below is for the blog tour which runs as a promo on 4-19-2017.

Thanks,
Laura

I was excited to see that Annie Rain had a new series out, and couldn't wait to read it since I loved the previous one so much. I expected to have the same feelings about this one, unfortunately there were some things that I had issues with. Don't get me wrong, this was a great story. I enjoyed the entire Sawyer clan, and can't wait to read more of their stories.

I really liked Jack from the start. Grace was fine in the beginning, but once she and Jack are together, she changed. There were several things that made it impossible for me to like her. For example: 1)the way she insisted that Jack either keep them being together secret or they couldn't be together at all, especially her reasons why, 2)her constantly shoving her mother in their faces, even after all of the things that her mother had done to their family, 3)she insists that Jack either forgive her mother or they can't be together, and so much more.

She expected Jack to do all of the giving and compromising in their relationship, and still wasn't happy. She was selfish, demanding, and inconsiderate, which made me not like her, or able to connect with her on any level. Her mother was another one I had a difficult time with, but for different reasons.

Overall, this was a great story, and a good start to this new series. I'm looking forward to reading the next book, and can't wait to see where the author takes the series. These are just my opinions, and I hope that you won't let them deter you from trying this book. Annie Rains is a talented author that writes fantastic stories, and I hope that you'll give her a chance.
I would recommend this book, and outstanding author.

If you’re a reader, you know what it’s like when you read a good book by an author. You automatically put that writer into a “go to” list, which is what I did with Annie Rains after reading and reviewing Welcome Home for Christmas last November (you can see that review here), a Christmas novel amongst many that I had read, but one which rose to the top.

Forbidden Kisses is the first installment of Rains’ Blushing Bay series and I can already tell you that I plan on reading each one. Like Welcome Home for Christmas, Forbidden Kisses has a small town flavor with an interesting set of characters.

While I liked the characters of Jack and Grace because they were developed and had chemistry, I couldn’t quite come to terms with Grace wanting to keep their relationship a secret. But then, I’m never keen when plot points hinge on deception probably because it always–and I do mean ALWAYS–comes to bite the characters in the butt. The rest of the novel though was engaging and I do look forward to reading more.

Between Grace’s mother and the death of Jack’s best friend, Chris, there was significant background that added a lot of depth to the story.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

FORBIDDEN KISSES is the first book in Annie Rain's new Blushing Bay series and it is easily one of my favorite books this year. It has a touching small town feel with moments that warm the heart. Love, family, friendship, and second chances are a big part of this wonderful new series.
Grace is a sweet heroine and when she was a teen, she was yanked away from the Sawyer family, the only real family that she had ever known, by a messy divorce caused by her selfish mother. Over the years, she has missed her step-family, especially Jack. Years later, she has returned to Blushing Bay and hopes to find a job and reconnect with some of her old friends as well as trying to right some of the wrongs caused by her mother. As it happens, Jack needs to hire someone for the family business and Grace accepts his offer. There is a an instant spark rekindled between the two, but family is the biggest obstacle in their way.
I fell in love with Jack, he has such a warm and generous heart. He is a fixer and a giver. He also is a procrastinator when it comes to telling his family about Grace. And Grace is just as generous because she is still loyal to her mother and she wants to make things up with the Sawyers if she can. This couple really clicked and their story made me feel good for them.
I really enjoyed this story. It was funny, and sweet and emotional. It is about rekindled love with wonderful characters and also second chances and forgiveness. There are a couple more Sawyer brothers and I can't wait to read about them in the future. An excellent start to a new series!