They say to keep your friends close but your enemies closer;

What if they’re one and the same?

The stable foundation I thought I’d built in the Sanctuary has been ripped away, and I find myself on the front lines of the war against the Resistance. I might have my Bonds on my side, but there are darker schemes in motion.

Can I prove myself and turn the tide to protect our most vulnerable, or am I nothing more than the monster they’ve always claimed I am?

Will we make it out of this without tragic consequences?

28 Chapters | 533 pages | Read Time: 6 hours over 3 days

 At this point I’m 82% through. I haven’t been able to read this in one go as I’ve had a busy weekend away visiting family. I’ve been reading this every chance I get and as a result I think I’ve been overinvolved in what is happening, and it has made me both read with extra adrenaline and also prone to skim reading.

To be honest, a lot happens in this book and I’m far enough through the series to realise that much of what has happened won’t make sense in a review to someone who hasn’t read the book or the series. This book, ‘Forced Bonds’, is book 4 out of 6. The characters are well established, and the plot is growing from one book to the next.

In this book, we’re back at the Sanctuary and Oli is learning to trust in her bond more and to wholeheartedly accept that her bond is another entity that lives inside her. The plot of this book involves many a battle but rather than become repetitive, it allows the reader to glimpse the well-oiled machine of the bonded group and how the ‘power increases’ manifest and allow for ‘changing of the tide’ moments.

The bonded group is now fully bonded. Although Nox remains on the edges of the group. His trauma keeps him from interacting with Oli and it is rare for him to allow his bond out to speak for him. I still need something more from his character, I need to know what is going on inside of him. It’s not enough to know that he has trauma and is damaged by it. I need to see more of his character to be able to form an opinion of him. I no longer view him as a character to hate but neither do I view him with any sort of positive emotion. Mostly he’s just a neutral character I ignore.

Without looking like there is more emphasis on it, it is clearer to see just how perfectly Oli fits with her bonded. North needed someone he could protect, love, and dominate. Gryphon needed someone who could keep toe-to-toe with him. Gabe needed someone to be a companion and friend. Atlas needed someone to love him for himself. Oli fits next to each one perfectly while still being her own person.

As the bonded group moves through the plot, they all blend seamlessly together in an art of writing that I find quite rare. The ability to move as one but also keep all individuality is something that sits on a fine line of good/bad writing.

There are more POV chapters in this book. In reverse harem spicy books, having different character POV chapters is essential I think, to learning of the characters individuality and to having a well-rounded and in-depth view of the plot as a whole. Even with Nox, who I know so little about, his POV chapters give me a glimpse into the character.

Silas Davies has now emerged as the main antagonist for the series. He is the leader of the resistance. He is known for bringing in highly gifted people and torturing them for information. He cares not of who you are, how old you are, or what life you have been snatched from. I’ve read enough to know that this man is completely unhinged yet, at the same time, believes his is doing the ’right thing’. Other than wanting to make Oli into a weapon, I know not what his ultimate goals are and the only knowledge I have of the resistance’s cause was a comment made by a resistance member in book 3.

With 3 of the bonded group, Oli, North, and Nox having bonds that are separate entities it would be foolish of me to assume that Silas doesn’t have higher plans than what has already been revealed. I think we will come to learn that he knows more than he is letting on and between books 5 and 6 I think we will finally learn what the bonds inside Oli, North, and Nox are and what their greater purpose is.

Gabe had more of a part of play in this book. It’s nice that each book seems to feature a bigger limelight for one of the characters. It shows not only their growth but the growth within the group and I think it lends more of an insight into what is going on that you wouldn’t necessarily get a grip of without it.

The ending OMG. I read the last few chapters on my lunch break. While I might have already been feeling a little nauseous (due to it being overly warm in the office) the last 3 pages of this book saw that nausea escalate dramatically.

This cliffhanger isn’t something I saw coming but perhaps it’s something I should have seen or thought of as a possibility. I don’t know where the plot will take us now or how I’ll find all the characters moving into book 5.

I give this book: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!!!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️