Forbidden Hearts

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Forbidden Hearts is the first book in Corrine Michael's newest contemporary romance series. Readers familiar with the Arrowood Brothers series will be happy for the chance to revisit the town of Sugarloaf. In Forbidden Hearts Michaels delivered a wonderful small town, age gap, grumpy/ sunshine, single dad romance. The story hooked me from the first page. This was such an interesting setup. The story introduces Asher, a police officer, and a single father to Olivia. He co-parents with his ex, who is his best friend. They were never in love with each other. Asher finds himself in need of a nanny, who is experienced with ASL, when his ex needed to go on an overseas work assignment. When his boss suggested he hire his daughter, Phoebe, Asher wasn’t keen. The last memory he had of her left him with a poor impression of her capabilities to care for his daughter. But what choice did he have and besides, it would be a temporary arrangement?Phoebe is home from college earlier than expected. She’s looking to make some changes in her life after a humiliating experience, which she has no intention of revealing to her dad. When asked to be a nanny for Asher’s daughter, she balked at the idea, mostly because of her history with him. However, she intends to prove her maturity and her capabilities.Forbidden Hearts is a beautiful love story. It features the unlikeliest of couples given their history and differing personalities. Phoebe is the outgoing and full of life, while Asher is the more serious type. I had fun getting to know each of the characters and getting to know the town of Sugarloaf. Phoebe and Olivia shared a wonderful connection. They became close and their relationship grew into one of friendship.Learning the reason for Phoebe’s need for a change broke my heart. We see how women are discriminated against in situations like these. The way Asher stepped in to protect her after learning about the situation melted my heart. This was a testament to his true feelings for her. If there were any doubts, he loved her that action of itself removed it all.Phoebe’s strength and determination shined throughout the story. The way she continued pursuing her dreams despite the humiliating setback. Their slow burn romance was sweet and steamy. Asher and Phoebe’s chemistry fell off the charts. It was fun seeing Asher trying hard to fight his attraction to her. Especially with her staying in his house. Talk about temptation. I loved how their relationship developed, and seeing them grow closer was a delight.The banter between Asher and his siblings brought some levity to the story. The fun side of Asher came out during these moments. This was further magnified in his interactions with his daughter. These scenes had me smiling.Now, as much as I enjoyed the story, it disappointed me in not providing closure regarding the situation in Phoebe’s life. The individual in question was not appropriately dealt giving them the opportunity to mess with somebody else’s life.So this was a great start to the series and I am looking forward to the next book. I recommend it to fans small town contemporary romance.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading