This is a collection of three short stories, connected by the theme of falling for someone who is traditionally ‘forbidden’. All three stories are well written, with realistic characters and plot lines. It's a nice introduction to these authors if you haven't read anything by them before. They are novellas so there isn't a lot of depth, but the authors do a good job piecing their stories together, but none of them blew me away. I would say I enjoyed Rey's the most.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

All 3 books were well written, and fit the forbidden love trope. Each novella had a new take. Mild heat.

Gun Brooke - a quick, fun read, full of chemistry and outside angst. My first book by this author and I'm hooked. I enjoyed the secondary characters, ltheu added to the story well. I will look forward to more books by this author.

J.J. Hale - I have read Hale's first few books nd am happy to see impeovement in her writing style and engaging in her characters. I enjoyed the chemistry between the MCs was beautiful, there was a lot of fun, flirty banter. The angst was good, it showed MC growth and the angst waa resolved timely. I look forward to more books by this author.

Aurora Rey - As with all of the books I've read by Aurora Rey, this one is just as wonderful as the others. I look forward to more books by this author.

This is a cute novella collection. I liked them all but wasn't blown away by any of them. I always enjoy books like this as a little palate cleanser between longer books. Not much angsty pining for a 'forbidden romance' though which was a bit of a shame.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books, Inc and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐒: 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲. 𝙽𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙰𝚂. 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚁𝚈. 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙰𝙶𝙴-𝙶𝙰𝙿. 𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙸𝙰𝙻 𝙶𝙰𝙿. 𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚂 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙸𝚃𝚈. 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙼𝙸𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂. 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙺𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙴. 𝚂𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝙾𝚆𝙽. 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗕𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗘𝗡.
📖ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️‍🌈⁠
"𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩-𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣."

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬:
When I read that synopsis, I was really excited and nervous especially because of Aurora's novella. I find that a little disturbing.
My favourite novella was the one by 𝐆𝐮𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞. I have read some of her work so I knew what I could get. The angst was right and I think I would loved it if the novella was novel. 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 was also good because when someone knows their flaws and works on them, that is always encouraging no matter how annoying the angst gets. I would also have enjoyed a novel of this one especially to see how Freya gets along with the mother/therapist. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸, I am no hater but that was foul because I can't even imagine or want to imagine myself kissing any of my brothers' girlfriend or even think to imagine myself to be in love with them, but I do understand the forbidden part of it all, hence why I was not really enjoying it.

𝙸𝚗 𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝙱𝚘𝚜𝚜'𝚜 𝚆𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚋𝚢 𝙶𝚞𝚗 𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙸𝚗 𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚝'𝚜 𝙳𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚢 𝙹.𝙹. 𝙷𝚊𝚕𝚎: 🌟🌟🌟
𝙸𝚗 𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛’𝚜 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝙰𝚞𝚛𝚘𝚛𝚊 𝚁𝚎𝚢: 🌟🌟

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

<b>Her boss's Wife</b>

A simple short story with the wife of her boss. It is original, but as it is a short story you stay there wanting to know more. Is a good read if you don't have much time.

<b>Her therapist's daughter</b>

This fragment was better for me. I loved the story and the connection between the two MC's. Of course as always in short stories you want to know more, but it was well written and was very nice to read.

<b>Her brother's girlfriend</b>

I didn's connect with this story, it was simply not my type.

<b>The book</b> consist in three short stories that are good in general terms but as they are short they leave you wanting to know more, or feeling there is a lack of details. I still enjoyed to read them, some more than others, but they were all nice!

<b>Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for gifting me with a free copy. Opinions are my own and are freely given.</b>

The lure for me was one word in the title: “Forbidden.” What I really loved about all three of these was the amount of lust shared by the characters.

In Her Boss’s Wife we had the mutual lusting between January, the employee and Mallory, the boss’s wife. Although the length of the story was short, the message was clear and it was smoking hot! Falling for a woman who was the ultimate forbidden fruit was a surefire way to heartbreak, and led to a very fun and sexy read! The characters had to tiptoe around to keep their secrets secure. I really enjoyed this one and felt it was well done.

The second novella was, Her Therapist’s Daughter. Moira was a family therapist and her client was Freya. When Freya met Blake, she had no idea that Blake was the daughter of her therapist! The attraction between Blake and Freya was lustful and intense. Neither knew of the other’s connection to the therapist and that led to some interesting incidents.
This was such a good and well thought-out story, so well constructed that I wondered if the author was also a therapist because of her exceptional advice and guidance. She was spot-on with her perception and insight. A delightful read.

The third novella, Her Brother’s Girlfriend, involved characters in a family restaurant. The family son, Brad, was in a ten year relationship with Brianna. Brad’s father’s had an accident that prevented him from his duties at the restaurant, so the sister, Hadley came home to help out. Shelby, the father’s physical therapist, entered the picture and soon there was more forbidden fruit in the equation! This was another well developed story where we found family members walking on tip-toes.

I enjoyed all three of these and thank NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I don’t normally read short stories but I did enjoy these novellas. All 3 kept me entertained but I particularly loved Freya and Blake in Her Therapist’s Daughter. - largely because I could identify with the horror of coming face to face with your therapist in another role !!

This is a collection of three short stories, connected only by the theme of falling for someone who is traditionally ‘forbidden’. All three stories are well written, with realistic characters and plot lines. All three stories show the characters grappling with their feelings and working through the emotions associated with their -luckily requited- forbidden/secret crushes. I would love to see an epilogue from these stories, particularly Freya and Blake.

I would recommend this to someone with the caveat that these are short stories or novellas, grouped by theme and the same characters do not appear in any of the three stories.

Three very different stories with unconventional relationships make up this book of novella’s. All three authors have produced complicated characters struggling with undeniable attraction to people they should not be contemplating a relationship with….but so desperately want to.

Well written, filled with humour and chemistry abound, these three novella’s complement each other beautifully and are highly entertaining.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

3 novellas in one and by some great authors.... was reading this book inbetween a serious one and then all of a sudden i was onto the next novella in this book and then it was finished what ever am i to do now... as i still have the serious book going on with no let up.....

but honestly these short novellas are great not only because the authors know how to write but also i am not a lover of short stories but these hit the mark just right do i wish they had been longer.... of course i do but will have to wait until they come out with longer stories until then these beauties are great

I was drawn to All For Her because the premise of forbidden romance always promises a mix of angst and excitement, but this collection left me feeling underwhelmed. While I appreciated the themes and the diversity of perspectives, the execution fell short in some areas.
In Her Boss's Wife, the tension between January and her boss's wife had potential, but the relationship felt rushed, making it difficult to invest in their connection fully. The stakes of the forbidden romance didn't land as deeply as I hoped, and I wanted more emotional depth.
Her Therapist's Daughter had an intriguing setup with Freya's journey of self-discovery, but the story leaned heavily on coincidence, which detracted from its believability. The dynamic between Freya and the therapist's daughter felt underdeveloped, leaving me wishing for a deeper exploration of their connection.
Her Brother's Girlfriend offered the most compelling dynamic for me. The tension between Hadley and Brianna was palpable, and the family dynamics added complexity. However, the resolution felt rushed, and I wanted more time with these characters to fully appreciate their story.
While the novellas explored fascinating concepts, I struggled with the pacing and character development. They were a quick read with moments of promise, but they didn't quite deliver the emotional impact I was looking for.

I had such a great time reading this collection of novellas! I flew through them because they were well-written and the plots kept me hooked. Plus, all the characters were super likeable. My favourite story? The first one—I just loved both of the main characters!

**Her Boss's Wife**
This one features Mallory and January. January is Peter's assistant, and Mallory is his ex-wife. As the story goes on, they can’t help but grapple with their feelings for each other. I’ve always enjoyed the characters in Mallory’s stories, and this one was no exception! January is just the cutest, and their chemistry was really fun to read about.

**Her Therapist's Daughter**
Oh my goodness, I adored this novella! Freya and Blake had such amazing chemistry, and Gun Brooke did a fantastic job of showcasing it. It was such an easy read, and I found myself cheering for them all the way through!

**Her Brother's Girlfriend**
Even though I didn't connect with this novella as much as the others, I still had fun reading it! It felt a bit rushed, especially since Brianna was dating Hadley's brother right from the start, which felt a bit obvious. But I was really glad there was no cheating in the story—this made it more enjoyable!

All in all, I’d give this collection 4 stars! They’re easy reads with fun plots and great characters, and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a good time!

If you’re looking for a great read then this is the book you want with 3 novellas.
Book 1 involves a married couple and an assistant trying to stay out of their way but she’s drawn to the soon to be ex wife.
Book 2 you’ll get a newly dating couple with a no sex glitch set up by one’s therapist. But wait until they find out that one woman’s mother is the therapist to the other. What could go wrong?
Book 3 is a bit twisted with a woman who has a long time crush on her boyfriend’s twin sister. Will they get together without ruining their entire lives?

You won’t be disappointed.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! COULD NOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN UNTIL IT WAS DONE!
3 LOVE STORIES -- AMAZING!

The Bosses Wife:
January works for Peter who is a bit of a hard ass and she is only staying to get the much needed letter of recommendation so she is able to move on to bigger and brighter things. Mallory is Peters soon to be ex-wife who January has always admired. Mallory has always had those naughty thoughts about January her husbands assistant. When January shows up at her house with her aging and confused father it is fate that intervenes. Will they be able to both give in to the desire that has been plaguing them.

The Therapist's Daughter
Freya has lots of issues she needs to work through, one being not committing to a long term relationship. She is used to running away as soon as she starts to feel something so she does not risk getting hurt. Her therapist Moira is trying to help her realize why she acts the way she does and gives her a challenge to not sleep with anyone for 2 weeks. This is a very challenging task for her since she is a bit of a player. She meets the beautiful, kind and funny Blake while leaving one of her meetings with Moira. Since Freya is unable to sleep with Blake she is forced to get to know her the old fashioned way and realizes that she may be just the person she is able to commit to. That is until she realizes Blake is the daughter of Moira who knows all of her deepest, darkest and dirty secrets. Will they be able to get past this huge hump?

Her Brother's Girlfriend
Hadley has been away from home since she finished high school. One of the main reasons she left was to escape this yearning she had for her brother Brad's girlfriend Brianna. She has wanted her for years. When Hadley's dad gets in a horrible accident she returns home and helps run the family restaurant while her dad recovers. The only thing is that Brianna is the pastry chef at the restaurant and now Hadley has to work day in and day out with her. She starts to see that perhaps Brad and Brianna aren't truly meant to be together. Perhaps she is able to have the girl of her dreams after all. See how she carefully navigates getting the girl and keeping her brother in her good graces.

Cute and short stories with strong female leads who all have undeniable attraction from the start. Good authors contributing to this book.

My Boss’s Wife, by Gun Brooke, was just too tropey for me. I don’t want to throw out any major spoilers so I’m not going to go into a lot of detail, but the story is far too manufactured. The character of Constantine was sweet, but a transparent plot device. Neither Mallory nor January were well developed, though I did like January’s grit. And Peter was a caricature. I did like the premise, and it has some promise; there were some parts I really enjoyed. The format does of course necessitate getting the protagonists to the point quickly, but I felt that My Boss’s Wife just really strains credulity too much.3.5⭐️

Her Therapist’s Daughter, by J.J. Hale, features a neurodivergent protagonist, and I’m a little bit torn about this one. I’m very much an advocate of representation, and l readily admit that I just may not be able to relate adequately enough to appreciate this one fully, but my sense is that at least part of the author’s point with this one was to portray Freya’s growth in an empathetic and cognitive sense along the way as she falls in love with Blake. But I think this point may be too subtle, and it may be too easy to interpret the character as a brash, insensitive, immature player instead. And, again, the story is instalove, which is of course somewhat attributable to the format. 3.5⭐️

But not entirely. And I say this because the third story, Her Brother’s Girlfriend, by Aurora Rey, manages to largely avoid that pitfall. If this one had been a full-length book I would have gladly bought it. It goes without saying that the novella format accelerated and compressed the storyline. In spite of that, Her Brother’s Girlfriend did not feel as rushed. The relationship between the protagonists was given some room to develop, and a reasonably believable framework upon which to do so. While the ending aggressively tests believable limits of “happily ever after” for the cast of characters, the reader is willing to let it slide for the sake of a short story and the protagonist’s HEA, and at the very least the lack of angst is actually kind of refreshing. 4.5⭐️

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

I enjoyed all three novellas in “All For Her: Forbidden Romance”, but the one that stood out for me was “Her Brother’s Girlfriend” by Aurora Rey. This story focused on Hadley Devine who returns to town when her father suffers a medical issue and a long recovery. Hadley will serve as the chef at the family restaurant while her father recovers. Brianna Kerns is the pastry chef at the restaurant and has been involved with Hadley’s brother, Brad, since the tenth grade. However, Hadley has had a crush on Brianna for as long as she can remember. The novella tells the story of how Hadley and Brianna eventually become a couple. The characters exuded chemistry and the forbidden family part of this story added to the dynamic.

4 stars overall for the three novellas

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked all three of these stories. The authors wrote wonderful characters and relationships. I was disappointed that there were no physical descriptions of the MC's in Her Brother's Girlfriend. It was a good story, but I like to visualize the character's eye and hair color and the like. I will keep an eye out for other books by these authors.

Book Review: All For Her: Forbidden Romance Novellas
All For Her, a collection of forbidden romance novellas by Gun Brooke, J.J. Hale, and Aurora Rey, offers a tantalizing exploration of love that defies boundaries and expectations. Each story delves into its own unique premise, blending longing, angst, and the courage it takes to follow one's heart—even when the stakes are high. The anthology is a captivating journey for readers who enjoy high-stakes romance and the thrill of breaking taboos.

1. "Her Boss's Wife" by Gun Brooke
Gun Brooke's Her Boss's Wife sets the tone for the collection with a steamy yet emotionally charged story. January Wild is stuck in the crossfire of her boss’s tumultuous divorce while nursing a forbidden attraction to her boss’s wife. Brooke masterfully crafts the push-pull dynamic between January and the enigmatic wife, offering readers a slow-burn romance that teeters on the edge of desire and danger.

Strengths:
Brooke excels in building tension and chemistry, with January’s internal conflict and the ethical challenges adding depth to the story. The romantic payoff is immensely satisfying, as it balances risk and vulnerability.
Weaknesses:
The brevity of the novella leaves some secondary characters, like the boss, feeling underdeveloped. A longer format could have provided a richer backstory.
2. "Her Therapist's Daughter" by J.J. Hale
J.J. Hale’s contribution brings a thought-provoking twist to the forbidden romance trope. Freya’s journey of self-discovery leads her to an unexpected connection with her therapist’s daughter, a premise rife with tension and serendipity. Hale’s writing is introspective and heartfelt, delving into themes of identity and personal growth while weaving a tender romance.

Strengths:
This novella stands out for its nuanced portrayal of Freya’s self-discovery and the layered dynamics between the characters. The dual perspective—seeing the relationship through the eyes of both Freya and her lover—adds depth to the emotional stakes.
Weaknesses:
Some readers may feel uneasy about the therapist-patient dynamic, even though the romance occurs outside of therapy sessions. While the narrative addresses this, it could benefit from a bit more exploration of the ethical boundaries.
3. "Her Brother’s Girlfriend" by Aurora Rey
Aurora Rey delivers a heartfelt tale of unrequited love and second chances with Her Brother’s Girlfriend. Hadley Devine is a compelling protagonist, navigating the complexities of working alongside Brianna, the woman she’s secretly loved for years. This story is rich in emotion, with a strong focus on familial bonds and the struggle between loyalty and desire.

Strengths:
Rey excels at portraying small-town charm and the complexities of family dynamics. The tension between Hadley and Brianna is palpable, and their shared history adds depth to the romance. The kitchen setting serves as a perfect metaphor for simmering emotions ready to boil over.
Weaknesses:
The resolution feels slightly rushed, with Brianna’s motivations and decision to pursue Hadley deserving more exploration.
Overall Themes and Strengths
Exploration of Boundaries: Each novella tackles a different form of forbidden love, offering a diverse range of relationships and conflicts. From workplace dynamics to family entanglements, the stories explore how love can flourish in the most unexpected—and often inconvenient—places.
Queer Representation: The collection is a celebration of sapphic love, highlighting the complexities and beauty of LGBTQ+ relationships in varied contexts.
Emotional Depth: Despite their shorter length, these novellas pack an emotional punch, combining steamy romance with heartfelt storytelling.
Critiques
While the anthology shines in its ability to draw readers into forbidden romances, the novella format occasionally leaves certain storylines underdeveloped. A longer word count might have allowed for more nuanced exploration of secondary characters and the societal implications of the forbidden relationships.

Final Thoughts
All For Her is a bold and passionate collection that embraces the complexities of forbidden love. Each novella offers a distinct flavor, ensuring there’s something for every fan of romance. Whether you’re drawn to workplace drama, journeys of self-discovery, or the heartache of unrequited love, this anthology delivers with intensity and heart.

Rating: 4/5
A steamy, emotional read perfect for fans of forbidden love and unapologetic romance.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a good book!! This one had me hooked from page one! I could t put it down. I loved the writing style of this book. I lived the characters and they had great chemistry.