{"id":62848,"date":"2022-01-09T05:04:59","date_gmt":"2022-01-09T10:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=62848"},"modified":"2022-01-09T05:04:59","modified_gmt":"2022-01-09T10:04:59","slug":"review-insta-family-forbidden-men-descendants-by-linda-kage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=62848","title":{"rendered":"Review: Insta-Family (Forbidden Men: Descendants) by Linda Kage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Universal\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Apple Books<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Blurb<\/b><\/h4>\n

LUCY GAMBLE, KNOCKED UP BY DYING MAN SHE GAVE SYMPATHY SEX, NOW MOVING ON TO HIS BIG BROTHER<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Have you ever tried to come up with a headline for your life? Well, mine\u2019s so cringeworthy I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s actually my story…or a hundred percent true<\/p>\n

But honestly, how could I say no to the one-night-stand when he begged? Only a monster could deny someone their dying wish, right?<\/p>\n

I mean, okay, getting pregnant from the encounter was a regrettable, irresponsible mistake; I can fully admit that.<\/p>\n

Turning to his brother, however, was never part of the plan. Initially, I didn\u2019t even like the guy.<\/p>\n

Except Vaughn Merrill is a force to be reckoned with. He\u2019s determined to be an \u201cinvolved\u201d uncle, and no matter how much I tell him he doesn\u2019t have to be so helpful, he\u2019s just so freaking helpful.<\/p>\n

And gorgeous.<\/p>\n

Plus not at all the ass I assumed he was. Then there\u2019s this massive pain and grief and loneliness I see in his eyes. I just want to hug him constantly and give him the sense of family he so desperately needs.<\/p>\n

So really, can you blame me for falling for the one man I know I shouldn\u2019t?<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

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Add to Goodreads<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

4.5 stars!<\/b><\/p>\n

What a fantastic read!! A sweet, sexy and swoony romance with a bit of a twist, and a gorgeously emotional story about family \u2013 the one you\u2019re born into, and the one you create. It hit me in the feels so many times, and I loved this one!<\/p>\n

This book fits into the Forbidden Men: Descendants<\/i> series. Lucy is the daughter of Noel and Aspen from [book:To Professor, with Love|20566630], and the whole extended crew feature prominently throughout the story. But rest assured, it can also easily standalone \u2013 just be aware that you\u2019ll be meeting a WHOLE lot of intertwined characters, and you probably won\u2019t remember them all or how they fit together, and that\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n

Lucy is living a happy, independent life with a good job, great friends, and a close and supportive family. But her world is upended when she has cringy and awkward sympathy sex with a dying colleague, and ends up pregnant.<\/p>\n

Vaughn is the big brother of Lucy\u2019s one night stand, Duke. After losing their parents, Vaughn gave up his College dreams to raise his younger brother, and he has spent the last few years caring for him during his cancer battle. When Duke dies, Vaughn is completely alone, drowning in grief, and has no idea what to do with his life. It\u2019s a tragic situation, and I was in tears within the first few chapters of the book! But learning he is going to be an uncle gives Vaughn purpose, and when little Ava Grace arrives, he is smitten with the tiny little girl who is the only family that he has left.<\/p>\n

Vaughn may be shy and introverted, but he wants to be there for everything, and Lucy is happy to have him as a part of her and Ava\u2019s lives. He is initially a little over-excited, in scenes that had my heart melting as he loves all over the baby, but his inconvenient attraction to Lucy makes things awkward for him.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t seem to care how much it was going to burn. I just knew I couldn\u2019t stay away.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What he doesn\u2019t know is that Lucy is lusting over him just as badly. Things get even more awkward as the sexual tension grows, and then the whole family become involved, seeing that their beloved Lucy and \u201cthe Uncle\u201d are perfect for each other.<\/p>\n

And they are! Vaughn and Lucy are beautiful together. Their relationship definitely has its ups and downs, but once they realise the depths of their feelings for each other, they are open and honest in confessing their feelings and the realities of their situation, and when the chemistry becomes too hard to resist, they fall headfirst into an intense, passionate and emotional romance that absolutely stole my heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019d break my heart if you didn\u2019t like me because I kind of love you more than anything on earth.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But Vaughn is still struggling to come to terms with his brother\u2019s death, the fact that Lucy was with him first, and all of the implications of that. His grief, fears and concerns are valid, and my heart ached for him as he tried to make sense of it all as he falls harder and harder.<\/p>\n

How can I wrap my brain around the fact that my brother had to <\/i>die for me to end up happier than I\u2019d ever been before?<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But Lucy and her family are there for him, supporting him all the way, and I love how he was embraced into the family group, and how he just went with it, accepting them and everything they offered. And in the midst of all of the emotional turmoil, they bring some wonderfully fun and funny moments.<\/p>\n

This is such a beautiful story. The love story is gorgeous, of course, and the themes of family are so well written. Firstly with little Ava \u2013 Lucy\u2019s love for her little girl is so apparent, and Vaughn\u2019s relationship with his niece will melt your ovaries. He is completely smitten, and every scene with them together had me grinning like a fool. And the rest of the family group are always there, showing their support, and the scenes with them all together were just magic.<\/p>\n

There is drama, emotion and a bit of intensity, but on the whole this book is such a sweet read. It\u2019s beautifully written and ends well, with an epilogue which finishes the story off beautifully.<\/p>\n

I loved it \u2013 4.5 stars.<\/p>\n

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Forbidden Men: Descendants<\/strong><\/h4>\n

These books and shorts follow on from the Forbidden Men<\/a> series<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most of these are shorts available for free on the author\u2019s website (indented), others are full-length novels<\/p>\n

Shorts:<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 \"\"\u00a0 \"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Full length novels:<\/p>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Suggested reading order (from author):<\/p>\n

Off Balance (#1)<\/strong> (Julian & Nia)
\nAvailable free on author’s website\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Tis the Season (#2)<\/strong> (Skylar & Dominick)
\nAvailable free on author’s website<\/a><\/p>\n

Dear Worthy (#3)<\/strong> (Beau & Bentley)
\nAvailable free on author’s website\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Once Upon a Canoe Trip (#4)<\/strong> (JB & Teagan)
\nAvailable free on author’s website<\/a><\/p>\n

Playing to Win (#5)<\/strong> (Rory & Tucker)
\nAvailable free on author’s website\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

The Revenge Plan (#6)<\/strong> (Haven & Wick)
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Beware of Maverick (#7)<\/strong> (Cress & Maverick)
\nAvailable free on author’s website<\/a><\/p>\n

Secrets That We Keep (#8)<\/strong> (Gracen & Yellow, Bella & Fox)
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Insta-Family (#9)<\/strong> (Lucy & Vaughn)
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"\"FM Descendant Shorts<\/strong>
\nContains all of the above shorts
\nBuy: Amazon Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

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Forbidden Men<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Price<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"To<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"Be<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"With<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Worth<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"The\u00a0\u00a0\"Priceless\"\u00a0\u00a0\"consolation-prize\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Price of a Kiss (#1)<\/strong>\u00a0(Mason & Reese)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

To Professor, With Love (#2)<\/strong>\u00a0(Noel & Aspen)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Be My Hero (#3)<\/strong>\u00a0(Pick & Eva)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

With Every Heartbeat (#4)<\/strong>\u00a0(Quinn & Zoey)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

A Perfect Ten (#5)<\/strong>\u00a0(Ten & Caroline)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Worth It (#6)<\/strong>\u00a0(Knox & Felicity)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

The Girl’s Got Secrets (#7)<\/strong>\u00a0(Asher & Remy)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Priceless (#8)<\/strong>\u00a0(Sarah & Brandt)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Consolation Prize (#9)<\/strong>\u00a0(Colton & Julianna)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

The Price of Mason (#10)<\/strong>\u00a0(Mason POV)
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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About the Author<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple of meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact. She likes the drama and crazy, over-the-top plots that make you cry, then laugh, get mad then sigh happily. Most stories are explicit but a few are sex-free. No dark or taboo topics, but many are not safe stories either.<\/p>\n

Website<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Instagram\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0\u00a0Amazon\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Universal\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Apple Books\u00a0 Blurb LUCY GAMBLE, KNOCKED UP BY DYING MAN SHE GAVE SYMPATHY SEX, NOW MOVING ON TO HIS BIG BROTHER. Have you ever tried to come up with a headline for your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":62395,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,49,9,1036,29],"tags":[1352,268,48],"class_list":["post-62848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-feeeeeeels","category-romance","category-single-parent","category-steamy","tag-forbidden-men-descendants","tag-linda-kage","tag-review"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Instafamily.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-glG","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=62848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62848\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/62395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=62848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=62848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=62848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}