Wow-Wow-Wow-Wow-Wow! Passion and Ink is my favorite of the series so far.

Hot but tender. Angsty but not dreary. Deep and nuanced. Dirty and oh. so. sweet. All elements of the story are balanced. Jude and Cypress are both immensely likable and relatable. Two people with lots of baggage between them yet they dealt with their problems individually and with support from the other. They're mature characters who face their crises head-on, who express their wants and needs, who act with a purpose.

I liked that the push and pull wasn't severe. I also liked that Ms. Simone didn't play up the taboo aspect too much. I appreciated that the side characters added depth to the story. Some initiated the conflicts, others provided the light relief. I loved that hard topics like sexual harassment in the workplace and mental health issues are addressed with sensitivity and compassion. I loved that friendship and family are at the core of the story. Finally, I absolutely believed in the transition from lust to love between Jude and Cypress.

Superb writing. Definitely a contender for one of my Top 19 of 2019. I can't wait for Simon's story!

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

Passion and Ink is book 2 in the Sweetest Taboo series and since I loved the first book, I was really looking forward to the second book. Jude and Cypress are supposed to have just one night together and then go their separate ways. That's not easy for either of them to do when they can't get that night off there minds, and of course there's the fact that they are kind of related. '
Jude and Cypress''s relationship is a little forbidden as they are step siblings, but it's also intensely hot and hard to not pursue for the both of them. Their journey to happiness is not an easy one with family bonds being tested along with Jude and Cypress having personal issues of their own to work through. If you're looking for a romance full of heart, with passion that's off the charts then you will want to pick up Passion and Ink.

I absolutely love Naima Simone's books! I've been a fan for a long time, and each new release has me gobbling it straight through. Passion and Ink was no different.

I actually forgot who Cypress was going to be to Jude in this taboo romance, and when it came about, I did a happy dance because heck, yes!! Cypress is down on her luck and working at a bar when she meets Jay at one of her tables. The chemistry crackles from the very first and despite Cypress's misgivings about getting invested again, that's just what happens.

If only the man in question didn't turn out to be her stepbrother to boot! *cackles in glee*

Jude was the sweetest! I had a case of heart eyes after this book was finished because he's such a GOOD MAN. He kind of has his "Oh, shitake mushroom" moment where Cypress is concerned, but I also love how everything played out. There's a lot in Jude's past he has to confront, but confront it he does.

Cypress was the perfect mix of badass but vulnerable, and I just loved her to pieces. Naima writes such dynamic heroines that you can't help but think of them as friends long after the book is finished. Get ready for steam, drama, and the heart squeegies in this read!

4 stars!

wow.
ok, first off, i had heard of sin and ink and knew several of my friends liked it, so i added it to my list. then i saw this on netgalley and requested it. then sin and ink went on sale, so i bought it - i can't read books in a series unless i've read the previous ones, i was going to buy it anyway, bonus that it was on sale.

then i read the synopsis for sin and ink. meh. not my fave. then i read the synopsis for passion and ink, definitely not my fave. you might be thinking - kristen, surely you should read the synopsis for a book before you buy/request it? well, normally i do. but i've read a couple other naima simone books and i didn't need to. i know i love her writing, her characters, everything. so even though 'taboo' is really really really not my jam (i'm not *against* it, just don't love it), i went into sin and ink with high high high expectations. and it blew them away, naturally. so then i went into this with high high high high expectations.... and shocker, it was fanfreakingtastic. like, wow.

reading the synopsis, you know the characters are stepsiblings before they do. the reason stepsibling romances aren't my thing is because i can't imagine being attracted to someone you grow up with, but these characters don't grow up together. they spend every other weekend for 3 years when they are teenagers, and avoided each other during that time (or jude avoided her, because she was a brat). they don't even recognise each other, obviously, when they meet again 10 years later. i'm sure lots of other stepsibling romances are the same, but normally the synopsis turns me off before i can find out..

anywho. moving on to this book. the chemistry was off the charts. i adored the characters. i loved their connection. i felt it. i love love love how realistic naima simone's characters and stories always are, complete with family drama. this book had the right amount of angst and internal/external conflict. i loved watching jude and cypress fall in love and i really felt it too. i loved the snippets we got of Knox and Eden, right dash of 'hey, we had a book before this and we are popping in to say hello' without overpowering cypress and jude's story. i adored the ending, i loved how strong cypress was and how much she grew. i really wanted to smack knox and jude's mother, but eventually naima simone even makes me like/understand her. i struggled with Dan but i understand cypress feeling the need/want to forgive and have a relationship. been there. his apology was realistic and made me teary.

there's really not much more i can say about this book! loved it and now i need the next one, stat.

Explosive chemistry, broken souls and glorious redemption! With the next book in the Sweetest Taboo series, we step into the familiar Gordon family's world. In the first book, we met hardened brother Knox, and the story continues now with Jude's story. I recommend reading SIN AND INK first even though they are both stand alones just because you'll get a greater appreciation of the family nuances if you do. Jude and Cypress were a great second book and I enjoyed their story a lot!

Cypress Winters has had just about as much of "life" as she can take. She lost the high paying job that she had worked hard for just for having the nerve to stand up for herself, her mom is sick and running up hospital bills left and right, and now she finds herself serving drinks to grabby jerks in a dive bar just to survive the best she can. She needs an outlet for this frustration or she's going to explode!

Jude Gordon has a bit of his own pent up energy to burn, and when he sets eyes on Cypress, he can't leave until he makes her his. One night of fun, that's what they agree to. Only there's just one little thing that neither of them realized ... they are step-siblings and their parents are going to flip out!

This is the second installment of this series and although it can be read as a stand-alone, don’t. You’ll get a better connection with the characters if this is read in sequence.

Naima continues to be one of my very favorite authors and this book is just as wonderful as the others - really amazing! . Not only was the story line compelling enough to keep my interest engaged, the way it was written and told was perfect. I don’t think anyone can take the place of Knox (read book one first) but Jude came close.

The step sibling is done so well, it’s not icky or taboo. The sexual chemistry between these two is beyond hot, but it’s honestly the story, the drama and the love that kept me turning up all night with reading this story. I can’t wait to see where Simon’s story takes us.. A must read!

This is book 2 in the Sweetest Taboo series and can absolutely be read as a stand alone although I recommend the first book as well just because it is a really good read. This one is about his brother Jude and Cypress. Jude and Cypress meet one night in a bar and have a one night stand, not realizing exactly who they are to each other until later as they had seen each other in over a decade. But this also leads to conflict not only for them but for their combined families. Along with the conflicts they are both already facing.

I really liked this one! They both have issues that they are trying to overcome while at the same time trying to just figure out what they need and want in their lives. Throwing in the family dynamics and having that hit close to home also drew me in and made me want to read more. The only thing that drew me back and made not give this one 5 stars is Cypress could have stayed in the town she was already in and found another position instead of completely uprooting herself and starting over. And I really don't like Jude's mom. She definitely get's on my very last nerve! But I think that is part of the family dynamic and she is that way in order to explain why they are the way they are. On a whole though, it is definitely a great read!

Passion and Ink by Naima Simone is book Two in the Sweetest Taboo Series. This is the story of Cypress and Jude. I have read the previous book, but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Cypress and Jude are both having family and career issues along with other bad baggage. They come together for one hot night of no promises and just need. But things are so easy because they feel more than just that night but a relationship would be somewhat taboo since they are step-brother/sisters. But together they pull each other together to make them whole. Exciting hot read!!!

Just could not get into this book. Tried several times and failed miserably. I'm not a huge fan of the step-brother genre, but thought I would give it a try again.

Did not feel a huge connection to either character.

Writing was fine, but just not a fit for me.

Cypress and Jude have to overcome family objections!

After getting sexually harassed at her job by her boss in California and the company not doing anything about it, Cypress Winters headed home to Chicago to take care of her mom. Cypress had to take the only job she could get after being blackballed in the industry working at a dive bar. After spending an evening drinking tattooist Jude Gordon had a one night stand with Cypress who told Jude her name was Ro since she never gave the customers her real name.

Jude attended a family dinner with his mom and stepdad because his step-sister that he hadn’t seen in 10 years was back in town and in walks his step-sister Cypress who he just had a one night stand. Jude had slept with his step-sister and his mother still hadn’t accepted that her former daughter-in-law was seeing her other son.

There is so much going on with Passion and Ink with Jude and Cypress being step-siblings but Naima Simone takes a really messy situation and makes it work.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was very emotional and poignant. It's about rising above the lessons you were taught in childhood, and embracing your own life, flaws, hurts, happiness, and all. It's about forgiveness, and loyalty, loss, and going after what you want, regardless of the consequences. It was so good.

Jude Gordon is an amazing tattoo artist, but he's always felt as though he was in his older brother Knox's shadow. Knox was a famous MMA fighter, and now he owns the tattoo shop that Jude works in. Even though Jude knows he's a great artist in his own right, he feels everyone only sees him as the younger brother of "Hard Knox". His family has been in turmoil since Knox and Eden got together in book 1. Eden was their dead brother's wife, and Knox and Jude's mother, Katherine, can't forgive them for getting together. It's left Jude holding all the pieces and trying desperately to keep them together, as he's done since his father died when he was 13. He's always been the family "secret keeper". On top of that, he has a stalker ex that can't accept their breakup, and won't leave him alone. He needs a break, even just for one night. When he walks into the local dive bar and sees her, he knows she's exactly what he needs.

Cypress Winters needs a break. She left her job 3 months ago after a horrible workplace sexual harassment episode left her unable and unwilling to deal with the fallout. Also, her mother had a heart attack, so she packed everything she could and drove from California back to Chicago to help take care of her mom. She's slinging drinks in a dive bar, and wondering how in the world this became her life, when he walks in. She sees a one night distraction from all her problems. Little does she know her problems are just beginning. As they both discover a few days later, they are step-siblings. They haven't seen each in 10 years, not since those awkward early teenage years. Cypress' dad is married to Jude's mom. Cypress hasn't had any contact with her dad in that time, after she decided at 16 that she didn't want anything from him after the way he left her mom so long ago, and left Cypress to deal with the fallout. But now, her mom's medical bills are stacking up, and she does need her dad's help. Financially anyway. So, it's hands off Jude for good. Famous last words...

Jude and Cypress' chemistry was blazing hot, and it practically singed me through the pages. Though, the forbidden aspect of their connection wasn't lost on them,, eventually they decided it didn't matter. They wanted each other too much. But after everything that happened with Knox and Eden in book 1, Jude was reluctant to stir the family pot too much. Cypress also had horrible examples of selfish love throughout her life, and she didn't know what it should really look like, even when it was staring her in the face.

I love Jude and Knox's younger brother Simon. I hope he gets his own story one day. He's such an enigmatic character, and I feel we've barely scratched the surface of him. All the other employees at the tattoo shop were awesome too. On the other hand, the rest of their family is a HOT MESS. I HATED their selfish, horrible mother in book 1, after the things she had said and done to Knox, but I hated her even more after I found out what secrets Jude had been keeping. She was a spoiled, selfish witch. I understand that she had horrible loss in her life, but what she did, and the burden she left on Jude was more than any young boy should be made to bear. Even later once they FINALLY started talking and being honest about the problems in their family, her apologies and regret weren't enough for me to get over it. She was the epitome of a "woe is me", perpetual victim, and I just wanted to smash her face into something. Sorry, not sorry. Her husband, and Cypress' dad, Dan, wasn't much better. As much as I want Simon's story, and to see more of Knox, Eden, Jude, and Cypress in the future, I'm not sure if I can take more of Katherine, that selfish excuse for a mother.

Jude and Cypress really needed each other. They didn't know what they were missing until they found each other, and I loved how much better, stronger, and happier they made one another. It was hard watching them dig through the muck to figure their stuff out, but it was so worth it. I love when the heroine is the one who has to make the grand gesture and grovel, and Cypress did it perfectly. They both truly deserved happiness, and found it in each other. The epilogue was lovely, but I hope to get some other glimpses of them in the future.

I truly love everything I've read by this author so far, and I've got more of her backlist to get through. While I'm doing that, I'll be highly anticipating what comes next!

I loved this book! It's not the typical forbidden romance between step siblings since Cypress and Jude never lived together but the angst and yearning are still strong. Cypress and Jude have a real connection and an incredible night of passion before they ever realize who the other is. That connection is fiery, hot and all consuming, Once they know about the step sibling connection they try to resist the chemistry that burns between them. The last thing this family needs is more scandal. Yet some things just can't be denied.

Great characters, great writing, and an amazing story. Don't miss this one.

Passion and Ink by Naima Simone is the second book in her Sweetest Taboo series and is a forbidden love story that captivated me. I loved the character and their crazy and intriguing drama-filled journey! I am quickly becoming a huge Naima Simone fan!

Cypress is back home, the last place she wants to be deciding what her next step will be when she meets a man who will give her a night to remember! What neither realize is that they already know each other! Now Cypress is dealing with family drama all while wanting the one man she cannot have.

Jude is carrying his own issues that weigh him down. One night with a beautiful woman is just what he needs. Their chemistry and connection is insane but fighting what they feel is nearly impossible. Both characters had so much to work through, including dealing with their families and trying to fight what they feel for each other! You will quickly become drawn into this story! Passion and Ink was a quick read with all the feels.

Passion and Ink is book two in the series and stars Jude and Cypress. These two really know how to steam it up. When a moment between them leads to a lot more, there's no way they can go back. But when Jude and Cypress learn they a step brother and sister, that's when the games really begin. Cypress really impressed me in this book. She doesn't let anything that has happened in her life break her it only made her stronger. Naima knocked my socks off with this book. I'm excited to see what is next.

Well I didn't like this one as well as the first, it was still good but not one of my top favorite. This is Cypress and Jude book, cypress once had a degree in accounting, now she slinging drinks at the local hole in the wall! Jude works at hard Knox ink tattoo shop that his older brother owns. It's definitely worth reading but to me it was a little repetitive and depressing I really loved the first book but like I said to me this one was just ok! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

<b>3.5 stars</b>
This is the second book in the Sweetest Taboo series, and features the taboo of the stepbrother romance. Now, I’m usually not into the stepbrother romance thing, but I gotta say this is most definitely working the chemistry between the characters and giving it that slightly dirty edge. It’s hotfire as far as the sex is concerned, no doubt.

Jude and Cypress meet at a bar and have a insanely hot ONS, which we all know is going to lead to romance happening. That worked like gangbusters. Then they meet again at his mother and stepfather’s dinner get together, only to realize that um, oops they boned a family member (ok thankfully not blood related, but still), since they hadn’t seen each other in a decade…..and that’s where I struggled a wee bit, but once I settled into the story, I could buy it a little more. This family is clearly about the messy love, and it leads to alot of angst.

What I really struggled to buy, was the manufactured angst injected into the story by her father (frankly both parents are as messy as the younger generation and while I appreciated the time spent explaining their mess more this time around, I’m still not a fan of them). And the circumstances that lead to their tension in their relationship (her job, his travel, their emotional issues), were all enough without the stepsibling part. It didn't feel integral, and I would have bought into the freakout if they had at least recognized each other and still be hot for each other. I also think it would have been more difficult to connect with this if you aren't familiar with the first book because there's some background for Jude's role in his family that isn't as developed here as it could have been.

Much like the first book, the main reason I’m not rating this higher is that it tends to hit the same beats over and over, and it gets a little repetitive with said angst, and once the secrets come tumbling out, it’s resolved fairly quickly. However, I am rating it higher because I think there are some really good scenes between Jude and Cypress where they delve into their history and both are dealing with some serious issues like panic attacks and sexual harassment in the workplace. I just wish those were delved into a bit more.

But if you’re into the sexual tension and heat that comes with the forbidden love trope, you may enjoy this.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

Sexy and steamy. Jude and Cypress have instant connection. The author takes us on a journey of two broken people finding love and healing in each other’s bodies and heart. She uses extremely vivid imagery to bring the scenes to brilliant clarity in the readers mind. The story is filled with angst as the characters work out their inner demons and try to find peace and redemption on the other side. They begin by solely seeking physical and temporary solace in each other’s arms but end with their future solidly tied together.

HELLO, ANGST! There is nothing so unbelievably delicious as watching two incredibly broken people fall in love and figure out how to unbreak themselves, and Naima Simone is the queen of sexy angst. I’m not usually a fan of “taboo romance”, but in this case, though they are step-siblings, they haven’t seen each other since they were kids 10 years ago. While I think you could read this as a standalone, I’d recommend reading Sin & Ink first, about Jude’s older brother Knox and Eden, just because it’s also insanely awesome and will give you background on Jude’s family dynamics.

“I was smart enough to go through any door that opened.
While I seriously doubt the late, great Joan Rivers meant throwing caution to the wind and embarking on a hopefully hot-as-hell one-night stand with a stranger—a stranger who had gifted me with one of the most brain-numbing, panty-melting orgasms of my life—her nugget of wisdom still applies.”


Cypress is back in Chicago after the implosion of her career and barely treading water, working at a dive bar while trying to take care of her mother, who’s still recovering from a heart attack some months prior. When she feels an instant attraction to one of the bar’s patrons, she can’t resist the chance to steal a bit of time for herself with a one-night-stand. Only, she can’t seem to get him out of her head – especially when she shows up to a family dinner with her estranged father and realizes he’s her stepbrother. Jude hasn’t been able to forget her, either, but even adding to his family’s already toxic atmosphere isn’t enough to dissuade him from wanting more with Cypress. But Cypress’ father – Jude’s stepfather – has laid down an ultimatum, and flaunting it would break each of their own families even more. Is the breakdown of both their families worth a few nights of passion?

While usually this is the point I gush about the heroine, I have to say I loved both Cypress and Jude. Both are struggling under crippling emotional baggage: Cypress from her mother’s inability to recover from her husband leaving her for another woman years ago, and Jude from trying to hold his family together under a weight of secrets and dysfunction in the wake of his father’s and brother’s death. After having held together her mother after her father deserted them for his new family when she was a young teen, Cypress is unwilling to lose herself in a relationship, so it’s easy to just avoid any relationships whatsoever. Jude is motivated by grief and fear, that it’s his responsibility to be the strong one and hold his family together, but also struggling to assert his identity out of his older brother’s shadow. There’s a fascinating focus on relationships in this book – toxic and healthy ones – and the particularly lovely assertion that a good partner doesn’t complete you, but rather adds to you. Since this is the main thing I love about romances – the relationship that helps grow you as a person – this completely hit the spot for me. Also, I mentioned “sexy angst” before, and all the family and personal drama certainly brings the angst part. The other half of that is that this book is ridiculously steamy, like fan-yourself-with-your-Kindle steamy. Cypress and Jude’s chemistry is off the charts, and Ms. Simone does an amazing job of showcasing each of their hopes and fears in the sex scenes in a really emotionally fulfilling way.

My only con is that at times it did feel like some of the family drama overshadowed their relationship. While I liked that I think it’s a realistic picture of a family fracturing under so much grief, adding the events from the previous book on top of it all made it feel over-burdened. Knox and Jude’s mom continued to wallow in her grief, and now in addition to aiding and abetting that, Dan, the step-father, also had basically abandoning his teen daughter in favor of his new wife and family. Much of it does seem to finally reach a turning point by the end of the book, which was a relief.

Overall, this was insanely hard to put down, an angsty, feels-soaked ride, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.25 stars

"You don't complete me. I do that for myself. But you...you add to me."

I almost broke my finger requesting this ARC from NetGalley because it was Sin and Ink that had led me to Naima Simone last year. I'll be honest with everyone: I am not the biggest fan of the one night stand premise in romance novels. I have read a couple of romances (contemporary and historical) based on this trope and generally speaking, they left me with mixed feelings. But I love Naima's storytelling and her characters and this is Jude's book! Nothing was going to stop me from reading his book. I'm so glad I placed my trust in Naima because this trope actually works SO well in this book. Both Jude and Cypress were at low points in their lives. The timing, location, and circumstances were perfect and the trope fit right in. And you know what the best part was? The best part was what came after the one night stand and how the characters deal with the aftermath when they find out they are actually step siblings. I was dying for their second meeting LOL. It was so hard putting the book down!!!

I felt a lot for Cypress and the circumstances she was forced into. I'm here to tell you that I absolutely loved her. She doesn't bullshit her way around unless she's feeling emotionally vulnerable and wants to protect herself. She tells it like it is; she is blunt and compassionate at the same time. She's also very relatable in the way she uses her pride and dignity as a protective barrier. She doesn't want other people to see her as weak and I totally understand where she is coming from.

Both Cypress and Jude are carrying heavy burdens that they hide from their loved ones. Their shared connection allows them to open up to each other and finally easing up on the heavy emotional and mental baggage they've been carrying for years. It was such a beautiful process getting to that point in their relationship. A lot of their baggage is also family-related and it was great seeing both Jude and Cypress dealing with their respective parent. There is this one scene between Jude and Knox that completely SLAYED me. I had to take a break to control my emotions. I love the relationship between the brothers so much.

I'm also really happy we got an epilogue here, which was missing in Sin and Ink. And finally, I really hope Simon gets his own book!!