Reviewer: @laurieslibrary (Instagram)
Rating: 5/5
TYSO to @jonathanballpublishers for this gifted copy, I enjoyed it so much! 🫶
I had planned to read the ebook version of the first book in this series, but I didn’t want to put this book off so I skipped book 1 altogether and jumped right in with this second installment.
I can’t say anything bad about this book, I loved the plot so much, the fact that both Cam and Jo had feelings for each other as young kids and didn’t act on those feelings was a reeeeeeaaaaaal slow burn for me but I didn’t hate it. In fact I thought it added to the suspense of will-they won’t-they.
The triggers in this book did not deter me either, if anything it made the story more realistic than anything else.
After reading this I’m really looking forward to reading the other books in this series as well.
Reviewer: @therealredsrecs (Instagram)
Rating: 4/5
🖌️🖌️🖌️🖌️ paintbrushes for Be Mine Forever by Kennedy Ryan
“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯.”
𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏:
Plot: 4
Pacing: 5
Writing: 4
Language: 5
Characters: 3.5
World building: 4
Romance: 3.5
Spice: 4
Thank you @jonathanballpublishers for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a little outside my comfort zone but it was no less a good book. I’ve been on a major romance bender lately so this book was perfectly timed.
Even though I really enjoyed this book, I won’t say that I loved it.
This is one of Kennedy Ryan’s older books and it has a serious lack of trigger warnings.
I don’t easily get triggered but this book only warned about the mention of CSA and not the pregnancy loss or PTSD. It would’ve been nice knowing that before jumping in.
Other than that this is a really beautiful story of healing and allowing yourself to love.
Both the MMC and FMC have to face their struggles and how it impacts their relationship and it was very real.
This isn’t the ideal book for people like me who love the fairytale story, but it really is a beautiful story and I’m sure a lot of people will relate to it.
If you’re okay with the triggers mentioned above, I definitely think this book is worth the read. Contemporary romance readers will also enjoy this much more than romantasy readers.
Reviewer: @booksbycc (Instagram)
Rating: 5/5
I jumped out of my skin when I ripped the brown paper to shreds and your name peaked out at me from a pink cover as my Blind Date with a book for Valentines Day. Omg Yay I thought, what a treat!!! It turns out You and I, Jo and Cam doubled up for love day.
And what a date it was. Ms Ryan you are as suspected an overachiever – 5 stars 2 for 2 now. We started this dance with Josiah and Yasmen and here we are taking to the floor once again with Jo and Cam.
I found myself in New York City I know, again. Maybe I need to find myself an apartment here soon I seem to be hobo-ing around corners. Any suggestions? Okay, wait let me introduce you to my new friends – Cameron Mitchell the inegmatic Graffiti artist and Jo Walsh the powerhouse boss lady heiress. Jo has loved Cam since they were 12 years old quick math says that’s 17 years. She’s loved this man longer than some marriages certainly longer than his marriage. Cam has well skirted around the feelings his known runs deeper than most friendship bonds. Cam has tried to keep Jo in the safe zone. His lived his whole adult life thinking they better off as just friends because then he cannot draw her into his darkness. This man clearly does not know some woman come alive in the dark.
While Jo tries to pull him in while simultaneously blocking him out, Cam can’t control the need to have her near any longer. She’s pressed up against the wall of his chest before she can form her next thoughts. Then there’s no going back. There’s no going back to not knowing his warmth. There’s no unfeeling his thunderous heartbeat. Or the way his eyes crinkle when he laughs. The roughness of his hands when he touches her waking up her entire body. There’s no way she can pick up her knitting needles now. She’s awake and she wants it all.
But Jo does not know what ALL is until Cam sits her down and lays his childhood down before her, bathing the room in complete darkness. All the happiness seemed to seep out of the room in those moments, seeking shelter from his truth. Leaving Cam naked and exposed, cut open. Every wound on display.
What do they say the only way over is through. Jo takes Cam’s hand albeit forcefully and drags him into the light. Where the rest of his life awaits.
This is a beautiful story. If you are so lucky to come across it, don’t even hesitate. Kennedy Ryan is a gift.
Reviewer: @youravidbookworm (Instagram)
Rating: 3/5
This book was particularly difficult to get through because of the heavy content it dealt with, which I was not expecting. If you do read it, please do look up trigger warnings. Besides that, it was also my first Kennedy Ryan book, and I’ve heard so many good things about her writing, but this one did not live up to my expectations.
I’ve rated it 3 stars because the storyline was good, and had potential, but the chemistry between the characters was not doing it for me. I didn’t feel any particular draw towards them, besides sympathy for what Cameron had been through. This could also be because it’s the last book in the series and I only read this one, either way, I can tell she’s a brilliant writer so I am excited to read more of her work!
Overall, like I said, it was a great story line, I hope whoever reads it enjoys it more than I did.
Reviewer: @shelves_by_sim (Instagram)
Rating: 3/5
Okay how beautiful is this cover though? I am obsessed! Usually I love a book that represents past trauma and helps the main character to overcome obstacles and become a better person. I think these sorts of relationships really show how hard one has to work to be happy, to be able to function and to live a healthy life. However, Be Mine Forever fell short for me.
Even though this book can be read as a standalone, I highly advise against it. There is so much trauma and baggage that seems to happen “previously” and its all pulled into this one and is technically what the entire plot revolves around. It was hard for me to follow at some points and quite infuriating because we see Cam deal with so much pain from the events of the first two books and I just feel it would be better to experience the entire story together.
I did like Cam’s character development, his past and where he grew up and his journey to making peace with himself to be the person Jo needed. But in general, I didn’t really have any connection to these characters. Cam was self-sabotaging and Jo, even though she’s from a prominent family and is career driven, I found to be lacking and extra clingy.
To me, the relationship between these two was awkward. Even though they have both been in love with one another for years, Cam was the one who had huge reservations due to his past, but once he finally gave in it felt like that past no longer played any role, it felt rushed and unnatural. I can see why some people love this book, it was fast-paced and the writing style was easy to read. It just wasn’t for me.
Thank you @jonathanballpublishers for this review copy!
Be Mine Forever is available at:
