I only had one rule: don’t fall in love with the cruel prince.I broke it.When the clock struck twelve, I went back to being a servant. He promised to let me go with my heart in pieces…but Grayson Crowne always was king at breaking promises.I refuse to let him lock me in a tower.I have no choice but to take the only out offered me—another cruel prince.Refuge in a man I loathe.Rescued from the … prince.
Refuge in a man I loathe.
Rescued from the man I love.
I wanted to forget Grayson, forget Crowne Hall, and hide, however fate has other plans.
But if Grayson and I are fated, then our fate is forbidden.
Our happily ever after will only end one way…in heartbreak.
Forbidden Fate is the third book in the Crowne Point universe. You need to have read Stolen Soulmate to read Forbidden Fate.
more
Want a book that plays like a Lifetime drama and reads like a song? Yup, I couldn’t stop reading and falling deeper and deeper into the world that is Crowne Pointe.
FF starts off right when SS left – the wedding of the century, as all the tabloids and national TV called it. The Crowne Pointe prince is married to the du Lac Publication industry princess, while the soul of Grayson and Story bled all over the alter. My soul bled with them.
This book is high drama, angst, deceit, manipulation and all the ugly behind-the-door thing that is the uber rich and famous. The casual and degrading talk to servitude, of building dynasties, of power was personally a little hard to swallow in this 21st century; but Story is right – in that Crowne Pointe is a world away from the real world, where people tend to forget about rest of societal rules and regulation. And yes, Story, the du Lacs are POC, and given that the story is set in the 21st century, the circumstances made more sense to me (a historical romance junkie) than if the setting was in the past as I initially thought.
But I digress. While reading this book, I felt like both Gray and Story’s souls was getting tangled in a barbed wire that kept on tightening and tightening with each of their actions and subsequent reactions throughout. The circumstances, the heartbreak, the love of these two individuals was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Grayson Crowne wants to be a good man – a hero to his sisters, a good husband, and a good father, just a good man! But the throne crown sitting on his head, his need to protect those that he loves, and his decisions always lead to conclusions which had negative effect on others.
Story Hale doesn’t want to be like her mother – be with someone who will only love her in the cracks and shadows. She wants to be invisible, not be thrust into the notoriety that comes from being associated with Grayson Crowne. She’s a mouse in a world of snakes – kill or be killed.
Some things that happened, the knee-jerk reactions of certain individuals might not be palatable to a lot of readers. And that’s okay. Not everyone can get past some actions, but my two cents is that those “things” lead to the complete trust (which was desperately needed) between Story and Gray. They initially fell for eachother because Story was apt in reading Gray’s between the lines, and Gray anticipated what Story needed before she did. But the way book 1 ended, that internal trust was broken and their soul connection became murky. And Gray’s way of communication, the actions he took in his bid to keep Story safe and with him didn’t help. So, these “twists” (although I don’t condone them) needed to happen for the sake of individual/couple growth, rebuilding solidifying their initial trust.
I finished the book last night and my heart is still broken, but happy. There were so many twists and turns, so many WTF moments that kept me glued to the kindle screen. Mary has a way with words that build universes. She takes you on a journey of people’s lives that has an impact on your soul. If you want a story that will tear you apart and rebuild you back, The Crowne Point series is the one for you!
I wanted to throat punch every single person except Gray.
Story – I really wanted to smack her so many times. I felt sorry for her in SS, but FF made me want to shake some sense into her. Her character did a complete 180, and not for the better. Her actions in this book do not make me believe her love for Gray at all.
West is a snake who just needs to get pushed off a cliff. I dont know how anyone could fall for his pathetic act.
Lottie is a conniving witch who needs to just divorce Gray already. Her little innocent act isn’t fooling anyone. She is just as conniving as Tansy and her mother. She has to be really desperate to do what she does.
I fell even harder for Gray in FF. Everything he does is in someway to protect Story. He is protective, sweet, alpha, and so damn sexy. I loved getting more of a glimpse into him.
I started this book team Story, by the end, I was 100 % team Gray.
I knew when I got to 80 % that it was not going to end the way I wanted. By the end, I was ready to throw my damn tablet. I cannot believe that freaking ending. Like seriously MCGOctober cannot get here fast enough.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants an angsty emotional read.
Mary Mary you sweet sweet devil you!
So I had to take 2 days to try to figure out how to put my feelings about this book into words. Mary absolutely obliterated my soul but honestly, I’d do it again in a heart beat. Forbidden Fate has topped every book Ive read this year. Story and Gray’s journey is anything less than chaotic but man is it so beautiful. The lies, the angst this book doesn’t give you a single second to recover. We see more of West, more of what it’s really like in Grays world but we also start to see deeper into the type of man he is and just how far he’s willing to go for those he loves. It’s a never ending battle and I can’t wait to see how their story ends in the next book!
From the very first sentence I knew I was not prepared for this book. I have been waiting in anticipation for this book and every beta and early reader basically said we would never be prepared-they were right.
Mary thank you for ripping our hearts out, stomping on them and then putting them back in so you could do it all over again.
Gray and Story are a pair that has proven time and time again that they are true soulmates.
I couldn’t read this book fast enough and as much as many parts were hard to read, because I can’t stand Lottie and West, every single part was vital to their story.
Mary has an amazing mind and the crazy f’ed up stories are why we always come back to her books.
Even though these stories break my heart over and over I will keep reading them.
But hear my words you are not prepared for this ride. You may think you are but think again!
Mary Catherine Gebhard is in a DIFFERENT LEAGUE of the romance world. I don’t know why I expect to go in one of her books and come out level-headed. I’m losing my sh*t over this book and I KNOW you will too!!
My mind is, like, in a conundrum because Mary looks so sweet with her braids and her doe eyes, but then she goes and writes the Crowne Point series and I’m highly terrified. Everything hurts so good with her books and Forbidden Fate lines up perfectly with Stolen Soulmate’s twisty angst and heart-wrenching poeticism.
The more these two fall in love, the more their hearts are broken. I went into this book terrified to feel more pain with these two and I’m leaving it gasping for air. Unbelievable storyline. Unforgettable moments. Unwavering love.
Easily the greatest read of 2020. I now know why people rate things greater than 5 stars.
I was downright dreading starting this book and for good reason! Stolen Soulmate tore my heart up and left me shocked beyond belief with the way things get left off!
WELL, this one picks up right where book 2 ended and let me tell you, the angst and feels run rampant throughout book 3! I don’t know what else to say without spoiling things but I’ll leave you with this:
-At one point I hated every character in the book.
-deep breathing was a must and it takes you through the emotional ringer
-frustration was at an all time high the second half of this book and I wanted to throw my kindle with all the back and forth.
-I love Grayson Crowne.My heart bled for him.
*ARC PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*
Forbidden Fate will be one of my top 5 reads of 2020 if not the top. Mary Catherine Gebhard just took me on a ride , and I feel like I’m hungover.
Grayson and Story broke me in Stolen Soulmate and they continued to in Forbidden Fate. The heartache and soul crushing MCG gave us in SS continued in Forbidden Fate. Gebhard did not go easy on our emotions. This rollercoaster of a ride had me screaming, cussing, throwing my kindle and filling Gebhard’s messages.
Mary Catherine Gebhard delivered another 5 star day stopping read. I was hooked from start to finish and even after I finished she still had me. Grayson and Story’s story is filled with so much heartbreak I’m not even sure where to start with it. Their story is no fairytale. It’s twisted web of lies and heartbreak.
I think it’s official I hate Lottie and West and actually anyone with the last name Du Lac. Well there are more people I dislike than I actually like. It seems everyone had their own agenda and they didn’t care who they hurt in reaching their goal.
I just loved Forbidden Fate and I read the entire thing in one sitting. Then I took over two weeks to write my review because all the emotions were just too much and I didn’t want to give anything away. Genhard delivered another 5 star, addicting read with this book. Grayson and Story’s journey has had me hooked since the very beginning and I cannot get enough of them. Forbidden Fate was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and Gebhard did not disappoint me. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.
Oh, and can I just say, that ending?????
No one can prepare for what our Favorite Little Reaper of Hearts has in store for us in Forbidden Fate.
This book is phenomenally written and packs an emotional punch!
What Gray and Story have is Forbidden. The servant girl has no place with a Crowne Heir. With the news he’s to wed another, their true feelings will be tested.
Who will pass and who will fail?
I don’t know what to say. How to feel. I’m gutted. I’m raw. I’m consumed by Gray and Story and their Forbidden Romance. This book is phenomenal and the author has put her heart and soul in this book!
You don’t want to miss out on this!
This review is intentionally vague to prevent spoilers to the storyline.
5+ stars
This story went back and forth too many times but was still a great story and I am excited for more! You can feel the energy and passion. I almost threw my Kindle a couple times but I didn’t lol
Forbidden Fate was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and it did not disappoint one bit!
I had an inkling Mary Catherine Gebhard was gonna break me when I picked up my copy of FF but not even that gut feeling could have prepared me for what she put me through. Whoever deemed Gebhard an “emotional terrorist” was not wrong. If anyone knows how to wreck readers good, it’s Gebhard.
I finished Forbidden Fate last night and I’m still not over it. What an ending. I was so not ready for it. I don’t think anyone will be. My best piece of advice is to get your favorite snacks and drinks because this book is going to make you want to stress eat and drink like no other. I ate so many hot Cheetos while reading FF it’s not even funny. Okay, it kind of is. lol
If you loved Story and Gray in Stolen Soulmate, you’re both going to hate and love Gebhard after reading FF. Why? She’s going to put you through the wringer and leave you on the edge of your seat for most of the book BUT it will be worth it because you will get to see the story take a direction you may not have seen coming. I sure didn’t. You also may want to break your reading device as a result. I wouldn’t blame you if you did. lol
What happens throughout FF and how the story unfolds was stressful to say the least but also so, so good! I like that Gebhard took a gamble and took an unpredictable route that I’m sure none of us saw coming. Some readers are going to be upset because they’re going to wish things had gone another direction, but I’m glad Gebgard went with her gut and took us on another angsty ride that left us on the edge of our seat and with our heart in our mouths. I cannot wait for the next book in the Crowne Point series and give this beautiful yet gut-wrenching story 4.5 stars!
“If our fate is forbidden, then I’ll live as a fugitive.”
Oh my poor heart! Just as Stolen Soulmate did before, this book put my heart through the ringer. Forbidden Fate is one of the most powerful, heartfelt and gripping romances that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Every word, every sentence, every page, completely owned me. It wasn’t just phenomenal. It was everything!
Grayson has become the master of breaking promises, and Story has had enough. She decides to take matters into her own hands, only to end up on the arm of another cruel prince. One that she cannot stand, but one that offers her a way out. A chance to start over, away from Crown Hall and from Grayson himself. Grayson may still own her heart, but she refuses to continue to stay and watch him with another. It’s just too hard. Only fate seems to have other plans for her.
I have to say this author’s writing is articulate and remarkable. Every single one of her words has such feeling and depth to them. This story flowed beautifully, with romance, angst and enough suspense that it was a satisfying read. I felt myself never wanting it to end. This forbidden romance is an absolute must read, but please be sure to read Stolen Soulmate first. Five stars for Grayson, Story and Forbidden Fate!
4.4 stars
This book was one of those that if I even thought about it made my stomach flip flop. The teasers that I have seen in various parts of social media only seemed to amplify those flutters to the point that my heart beat faster. That speaks volumes in regard to how utterly and mindboggling talented that this author is. Her words seem to come alive and the heartbreak, betrayal, and angst seem to take on a new life outside of the pages of this book.
I honestly had no idea what to expect from this book. All I knew was that I was guaranteed to have a maelstrom of emotions going on and that I was Team Story all the way. There were twists and turns. As much as I wanted to see the motives behind the actions of Lottie, West, and Grayson there was also something I wanted to know more. There is such a mystery to the history of the Crowne family and I wanted to know what it was.
I wasn’t prepared for all that this story did to me, especially that ending. As much as I enjoyed what this part of the story did for me, it also lacked some of the earlier things that had left my stomach flip flop like a fish out of water. That isn’t to say that it was not good, but rather that it just left me feeling a little apathetic in the end. I would still recommend this and the first part of Grayson and Story’s tale in a heartbeat though. Just be prepared for some twists and turns that are definitely unexpected.
Cruelly beautiful, this book annihilated my heart.
‘Forbidden Fate’ by Mary Catherine Gebhard is book 3 in the ‘Crowne Point’ series and also the continuation of ‘Stolen Soulmate’.
This book is a poetic and cruel masterpiece that destroyed my ‘Most Anticipated’ list, making ‘Forbidden Fate’ my most anticipated book of the year, and honestly also one of the best so far.
If I thought that this sequel was somehow going to be less painful and heart wrenching, I was completely mistaken and made a fool of myself.
This book destroyed my heart and soul more times than I can even recall, it made me cry, yell, hysterically laugh and sob like my heart was just ripped out of my chest. Because it was.
This book is angsty, cruel, painful, intriguing and every other adjective I can’t think of right now because my mind had been rendered to utter mush.
Reading this book broke me into a million pieces that I’m not even sure I’ll ever be able to put back together.
Story is the sweetest character there is, she is strong, brave, caring. Her honesty is refreshing not only for Gray but for the readers too, she is not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for herself, she still struggles with herself and with all the people that still want to bring her down.
Story is a resilient character that’s tired of being pushed around or being told what to do. We will see her grow and change throughout the book, we will see her make mistakes, own those mistakes, try to make things right, while still also making sure to not lose sight of herself.
Gray is still the dark and cruel prince we all know and love, he is hurting like never before, trying to please everyone and try his hardest to follow through with his promises.
He is a broken man who is willing to lose who he truly is in order to make everything right.
He is a fighter and a dreamer, a caring man that’s hurting so much he sometimes can’t see straight, he is loving and raw, but that’s not what the world perceives him to be.
No matter how much he tries, he can’t seem to make everything right while also staying true to those he cares about.
He will suffer and break down, even more, he’ll have to fight against everything he believes in and everything he is, and yet sometimes that is still not enough.
Their story is a haunted one, a love that started in the shadow of the night, one so wrong and impossible that’ll infiltrate your soul with the force of a bulldozer, a fate destined to live, flourish and die in the darkness.
Every time I thought things were actually finally working out, fate decided to switch things up and send these characters to Hell and back in order to feel even the tiniest shreds of happiness.
This beautiful and painful story is a one-of-a-kind, leave-me-here-to-die, screaming-into-a-pillow, i-hate-the-whole-world kind of story.
This story is as cruel and fascinating as poetry, it is raw and real, it’s a little bit magical and a whole lot of heartache. This is a book that’ll stick with you forever, the kind that even thinking about it makes you wanna cry, unjust and infuriating yet somehow you just can’t stop loving it.
There’s nothing about this series that isn’t painful. The twists and turns aren’t always unexpected but I have gasped and growled and cursed the author more during this journey than any other series in my recent memory.
Story and Gray are a f*cking mess. So is everyone else, honestly. I have high hopes, but know that the emotional terrorism that is the hallmark of this series and MCG as a writer aren’t quite done with me.
Recommend, with a big fat brace yourself warning.
My Rating: * DNF
Type: Series starts from Crowne Point #2. Book 2 — Ends with cliffhanger
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Angst Royal Romance
Narration: Dual POV
Primary Characters: Grayson & Story
Source: ARC – Courtesy or Author/publisher
I feel if a book was one I couldn’t finish; I should be honest to the other readers out there. Just because I couldn’t finish the book, doesn’t mean it’s bad or it doesn’t mean it could have been written better. It only indicates that book was not for me.
I gave my best efforts several times to complete this book. As I have mentioned in book 1 review of this, author has not highlighted this is series. There is a next book to this, are you wondering how do I know if I didn’t finish? Well I skipped to last few chapters and got to know
Stolen soulmate was angst, complicated and too much messy romance for my taste but I was curious to know how plot moves after book 1 cliffhanger. When I stated this book, it was again same push and pull. I think Story should have had more respect for herself. She became worse, pathetic and I was disgust with her(Just not for me).
After 35% I gave up and skipped directly to 91% of the book and surprisingly plot of still the same except for few changes which I picked quickly. I finished last 10%. They cheat with new spouse and along with some other situations made me feel more yaaakkk.
Unfortunately, I’m not even motivated to read the next book in this trilogy, the cliffhanger was very idiotic.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for honest review.
Check my other reviews here- https://meander23.com
Follow : @meander_read_roam
I loved this book. I cannot wait for the other book in this series. The scenes wrecked my heart and it ached for Grayson I fell in love with him so much more after this book I definetly recommend it
An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review!!! Thank you!!!
.
’ .
.
The term emotional rollercoaster was written for this book!
This is by far one of the toughest reviews I have written. Where Stolen Soulmates ruined me, Forbidden Fate literally KILLED!
I am at a complete list of words for how this book made me feel. Mary’s words have completed captivated and is holding me hostage.
The hardest part for me about writing a review is when the book is soo good and you just can’t put into words what it did to you without giving away any spoilers. & not to mention that my pet peeve are spoilers. So I’m going to leave you with this….
When you sit to read this book, bring a box of tissue and a bottle of your preferred alcohol beverage. Prepare to be emotionally exhausted and totally astonished all at the same time.
Dumbstruck | Emotional Rollercoaster | Extreme Drama
Be prepared it’s not what you expect! The drama between these characters and the results of their actions is just mind blowing. At times you want to strangle them and other times you want to hug them. I may not agree with the behavior of Story with a specific someone, I think there was no need for her to go that route, she should have had more respect for herself and more Trust in others.
Will Story Get Her HEA?
This book is heartbreaking, soul crushing goodness!!!! I am keeping this vague as not to spoil anything but this book is a must read!!!! Be prepared to experience every emotion. I loved this masterpiece from the amazing Mary Catherine Gebhard.
5 OH MY GOODNESS STARS!! My poor heart has been through the ringer with this book. Story and Grayson’s story took my breath away several times…..I thought I died a couple of times, but I also fell in love and smiled too. My words are not flowing as well has this phenomenal authors do. I am telling you READ THIS BOOK AND SERIES.