“A perfect dark cowboy romance. I loved Jake’s dominance and pure love for Conor. I loved the estate and ranch. I loved the swoony sexiness. 5 Stars.” ~ Pepper Winters, New York Times Bestselling AuthorI try to forget her. It’s impossible. Growing up together, Conor and I shared all our firsts. First love, first kiss, first… Not all our firsts. We were sixteen the night she was violently …
We were sixteen the night she was violently assaulted while I helplessly watched.
I’ll never forget the sounds of her suffering.
Or my inconsolable agony when she left Oklahoma.
Years later, she returns to honor our teenage pact.
Except the boy she loved is gone, replaced by a ruthless cattle rancher knotted with secrets.
She doesn’t know my dark cravings or the trails of sin that lead to her.
I don’t deserve her, but one truth remains.
She’s mine.
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I adored the Holston Twins very very much and there love for Conor who grew up together with there family and legacy business in Oklahoma.
Conor was/is a strong willed character and survivor that I adored throughout the book and hope to see more of them in Jarrett story.
Something happened to Conor (Please read the TW) and Jake had to watch it happen. Since then they’ve separated due to her father moving her away and her brother going to jail. I don’t want to spoil it but the twist and turns it took was mind boggling that I didn’t even see coming and the plot itself was absolutely amazing.
I think it’s perfect
Oh my such heartache and tears…emotions I felt reading this story…Pam did a remarkable job with this book…not for a faint of heart…glad there is a HEA after such tragic and heartbreak…such emotions you will experience…great read.
This is one of my favorite books of all time! I am in shock with the masterpiece that this story represents. It has everything I never thought I would want in a book. I literally fell upon one of my top 3 favorite authors!!!
When I was trying to decide if I wanted to read it, I read the first chapter like I always do. God, I was never this hooked and amazed at just the beginning of a story. I could immediately understand that Jake, his brother Jarret, his lover Connor and Connor’s brother, Lorne, shared a bond like I’ve never seen at such a young age. I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it. It’s a bond that represents love, union, forgiveness, a will to fight and revenge each other and protection.
So when at the age of sixteen, Connor is raped at night, they take revenge into their own hands and make a pact to completely dissipate the lives of those who made such an assault to a child’s life.
That night turns their lives upside down, in a way so intricate and mysterious, we end up feeling the weight of how a single moment in life can change everything forever.
The things the four of them go through after that moment are so real and sad, it is impossible to not cry with them, not be angry with life, with people.
When they get together again to honor their pact, the story unfolds like I never saw coming. So if you haven’t until then understood how big, rare and unique is the love Jake and Connor have for each other, you will feel it then with it’s full force.
What the hell?? I was gasping, twitching, miserable and alive, gaping at how brilliant Jake takes care of Connor, never giving up and showing an understanding of each other that only years growing up together could have allowed.
I never read about a love so intense and powerful, so dark and beautiful, that their own actions allowed even me to find my peace after what happened with both of them. How is that possible??
I will tell you how it is possible. Pam Godwin is a mastermind who created a masterpiece even people who hate romances can´t and won´t be indifferent. Her writing style makes a feeling burn through the pages, a word rip you apart, an action feel as if you were the one doing it and love flow into the air around you.
She doesn’t just write, she makes it sound like a lyrics of a song, exploring every word and playing around with them. Her text is full of details, so many that you read a sentence, and stop to reread again, and again. And at the end, you stop, reflect and gape at how brilliant she is. However, her awesome writing style about details never tires you and is always just enough, giving you the right amount of information you need. Basically, she knows what you want to read.
And if this isn´t enough, she has her words blend with songs she picks that seem like they were wrote for that moment in time. I am a fan of music and books, so when they come together so magically, a boom is heard in my head!
I would highly recommend this book to a simple lover of romance, because for me you can´t let the “dark romance” words stop you from reading it. If you do refrain yourselves for that only reason, you will end up losing one of the biggest creations of all time in the book’s history! However, it is true this books touches themes like rape and domestic violence which may be triggers for someone, so be aware, and Jake and Connor’s love is not filled with butterflies, but seriously their love is so much better than that. Also, Pam Godwin explores the hating, disdain, jealousy and lack of respect between women, which I think is never enough to open up our eyes.
I would give it ONE BILLION STARS if I could, for everything is so well designed that you will be sad when it ends. However, don´t worry too much because the author found a way to not let us down, continuing this series with Jarret’s story in Buckled and Lorne’s story in Booted.
I can´t wait to keep reading the stories of this cowboys that will forever remain in my heart! And let me tell you I never liked cowboy’s stories that much.
I was not ready. I was not prepared. I went into this book blind and though I read that it was dark, I was not ready for how heart wrenching and intense it would be. But I loved it. I started the book later in the day and immediately knew that sleep was no longer an option. Sleep is for the weak. (Check in later when I’m napping in the kitchen.)
This is my first read by Pam Godwin and I was immediately drawn in with the writing and the characters and the hopeful young love and friendships of these four teens. The love between Conor and Jake is tangible – it’s young and intense and all those things that feel like everything when you’re that young.
But the real world barges in in the most terrifying and destructive ways and ruins everyone’s innocence. All four kids are changed forever, their paths completely altered by the actions and decisions of that one night. And the young intense love has to somehow survive some of the most horrifying and scariest years for Jake and Conor to find their way back to each other eventually.
The book is difficult at moments because you question how much a heart, a soul, can be battered before just giving up. But in Conor, Godwin channeled pure perseverance and will. Despite the cards she was dealt, a pawn in the games of the greedy, Conor made her life. She made her future. She didn’t let what happened to her, around her, define her. I love a heroine that doesn’t just survive, but throws that middle finger up at anyone that would doubt her.
The story never stops or stalls, the steam is off the charts sexy and spicy and I’m excited to see what happens next in this world, to Jarret and Lorne (especially Lorne!!).
I had this book on my kindle for years. I was trying to clean it up a bit and a friend on IG said they’d pick my next read, since I couldn’t decide. They suggested Knotted and I am grateful that I finally dove in. But also, I’ve now added the rest of the series to my TBR so this might have been a little counterproductive to my clean up idea. Ha!
Beautiful book, maybe not my perfect read, though. The beginning lulls you into false safety.
I don’t think it was realistic that he managed to help her get over her PTSD in two weeks untrained, with only his own research to help him.
Otherwise, great idea and great plot. It just fell a bit flat in its execution.
My full review, where I explain everything, could be found on my Goodreads account.
This one just didn’t work for me. But I pushed through somehow. It started off strong (albeit horrifying). My issue was mainly with the Hero, Jake. I liked him in the very beginning. Then he goes and fucks everything up. I can’t really get into the storyline too much without giving away spoilers. But he basically pushes her away to “protect her”. I could understand a little bit. But he’s supposed to “love her” and for 6 years he’s making it safe for her to come home. But during this time, he’s screwing every female in town?!?!?! Ummmmm… you live in a small town -population 415. The woman you “love” is going to come into contact (AND DOES) on a regular basis with these women!!
Then we get into him giving her 2 weeks of mental and sexual “therapy” to get over her trauma and PTSD. Yeah, totally believable .
Nope. this one just wasn’t for me.
Such a good book. Well written. I highly recommend.
great book loved it
There is a rape scene that is very explicit. Be aware of your triggers. Page turner
It’s been quite some time since I’ve read this story but it’s never left me. And I think it’s about time I did a reread of this trilogy.
I didn’t realize I needed a story like this in my life. This book opened my eyes to a different side to romance. I won’t say I’ve read ‘vanilla’ stories in the past yet nothing had ever depicted brutality in such a manner.
Witnessing the decimation of Connor at the mere age of sixteen by a stranger was heartbreaking. Watching as she learned the truth behind things was exhilarating. And watching her find her HEA with the one person she was always meant to have was breathtaking.
That barn scene and the truth behind it was my absolute favorite scene. To have someone love you enough to let you go, yet stay close enough to help you if you fall…it was everything.
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Jake and Conor’s story is a tumultuous one. Filled with steadfast love, gut ripping agony, so much pain. But it grows and enlarges to a true love story where 2 people come together in mistrust, resentment, jealousy then finally love, passion, heart healing and joy.
The book will give you all of the emotions and solid sense of what family means. In hellacious horrors and just hanging out together, they are a tight knit group who truly love and protect one another.
4 stars!
“We’re stronger than hellos and goodbyes and deeper than beginnings and ends”
started out by going into a totally different direction (I didn’t read the blurb) than I thought we were going and from there I was on very emotional rollercoaster filled with pain,heartbreak and loss!!
This was not only a love story between Conor & Jake but a unbreakable bond between family. A family that would do anything and everything for their loved ones no matter the cost.
Conor & Jake endured so much and reading about their trials was at times hard but in the end it was very much worth it.
Sinfully Delicious!!
Deceptive & Dark Cowboy Romance!!
These kind of stories really get me in the feels! I love a GOOD second chance romance. If you LOVE a good cowboy romance but enjoy a little bit of dark in your romance, THIS is a perfect read for you!
Pam snagged my adoration for this foursome of friends right off the bat! One chapter in and I was hooked! Friends aren’t even the best description, they are really more like family. Two sets of siblings; Lorne & Conor and Jake & Jarret. These kids grew up together and were inseparable!
Conor and Jake are childhood sweethearts, ripped apart after they experience a traumatic life altering experience. The kind of thing that most girls would never come back from but not Conor! She is one of the strongest and feistiest heroines I’ve read. Her persistence to make something of herself in the face of the evil that tainted her and the love that broke her is remarkable. Jake is THAT cowboy! The one you NEVER forget! The one you hold ALL other men you encounter against to see if they measure up! This rugged and possessive cowboy has a sweet and passionate side to him that’ll have you swooning while begging him to tie you up at the same time.
Secrets unravel that has Conor questioning EVERYTHING and of course Jake is right there…the entire time!
I truly loved this book! I love cowboy & second chance romances! Pam definitely delivered us a sinfully delicious cowboy!
I already have book 2 of this series downloaded and diving into it. Jarret has me completely intrigued and I need more of him NOW! Series info below!
TRAILS OF SIN series – all books have HEAs and there are no cliffhangers!
*MUST be read in order*
Knotted #1 – Jake
Buckled #2 – Jarret
Booted #3 – Lorne
“She’s my past, my present, and my future. I’m everything when I’m with her and nothing without her.”
Dark. Addicting. Sinful. GRITTY!
Andddd, I’m addicted. Pam Godwin has me so utterly ALL IN with these characters. I went in blind with this book. All I new was it was a dark, cowboy romance. I didn’t read the blurb, I didn’t read any reviews, I just dove right in. AND I WAS NOT READY.
Straight off the rip, Pam smacks you in the face with the dark and gritty. She held nothing back but I love that in a dark romance.
Jake is thoroughly and intricately MINE. He is so dominant and possessive and I am all over that.
Knotted was exactly what I needed and I am definitely diving right into book two.
“Impatience is my enemy. Insatiable desire is my weakness.”
My emotions were all over with this book. But I enjoyed reading it. Conor and Jack second chance at love after everything they have been through. I enjoyed reading Knotted!! I also loved the playlist.
Wow! What a story. Knotted begins with childhood sweethearts Conor and Jake heading off to celebrate her 16th birthday at a bonfire with her brother Lorne and Jake’s twin brother Jarret. What Conor and Jake are really planning to do is sneak off and lose their virginity together. What happens next is heartbreaking. Conor is assaulted and Jake is unable to protect her. What seems like a random act of violence turns out to be much more. It will lead to Lorne being imprisoned, Conor moved away to Chicago by her father and both father’s cutting their ties to each other. When Conor turns 18, she leaves her father and returns to Sandbank to seek Jake. What she finds is that Jake is no longer the boy that she loved and it practically destroys her but Conor steels her heart and vows to live her life as it should have been. She works to get her dreams accomplished by going to college and getting admitted into veterinary school. She begins dating and eventually is in a relationship with on of the professors. She’s existing but not living but that’s all she can handle. She carries a reminder of that night. A pact was made that when the man who assaulted her was released from prison, he would pay. She is now going to return to Sandbank to make sure that happens. What she doesn’t know is that over the past 6 years Jake has been researching that crime and it has lead to a web of lies so deep that the only thing to do was keep Conor out of town until he could protect her. That time is now. jake plans to reclaim and mend Conor’s heart. Secrets will be exposed and vengeance will be sought. Knotted is an emotional book. Tears will be shed but there are a bright spots on the horizon. There’s a lot of heat in Knotted so be prepared. I have never read a Pam Godwin book before but this was excellent. There is more to the story in Sandbank and I plan to continue the journey. It’s told in dual POV, it’s contemporary and I fully recommend reading it. I received a review copy and this is my freely given, honest opinion.
“Miles, months, cities, years… That’s what you said.” He touches a knuckle under my chin, lifting it. “We’re bigger than anything that tries to come between us.”
I never knew I needed a cowboy in my life until I read this book! This was my second Pam Godwin book and I was not at all disappointed. She is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
This book was really painful in the beginning! It has some very graphic scenes and some scenes that will make you wan to cry! I loved Jake and Conor’s story and the lengths that he went to to get her back!
If you don’t like cowboy books, give this one a shot anyways because it was so good!
Jake and Connor are soulmates! I loved them! They were so sweet. They grew up together in the same house. Two families living in a huge house on a farm. Until one night something completely tragic happens. With a blood oath they will get revenge with Jakes brother Jarrot and Connors brother Lorne on who did this to them. The secrets behind this tragedy tear Jake and Connor apart. But the oath still stands and no matter what, they will get their revenge.
My heart broke for Connor and Jake. Something sacred between them was stolen and the years spent apart has changed them both. Another phenomenal book by Pam Godwin. I’m obsessed with all her books and this one is no different. Her writing just sucks you right in and you just can’t put it down. I devoured from page one.
Have you ever read a book with so much background that you just don’t know what to expect or how it is even going to turn out? Even when the story ends, it doesn’t end in your mind because there was just so much to absorb and soo much left untold and you go back and reread looking for clues of what you might have missed because you were in shock, or crying,or heart broken? Left in a hangover days after you reread it? Yeah that is this book!! The description of the book is kinda direct but it does absolutely nothing to the picture that is painted. I died right there on the pages of this book.Tears running and heart break for something that should be so perfect to be destroyed the way it was and replaced by a nightmare that would forever change 4 lives.
Conor is as strong as they come and to have gone through everything that she has gone through I can’t help but love the person she became. Traumatized, beaten, taken from her home, her brother, her life, her love, she remains true to herself. Even with her triggers because you know with everything there will be triggers, she still fights for everything that she dreamed of. I loved her fire and determination.
Jake on the other hand, I swear I am right there sometimes with Jarret’s feelings, drove me insane!!! There were times I felt like I could understand and then I was screaming at my kindle wondering why???? Even when that was answered my heart broke all over again and I was frustrated because it just was what it was and it didn’t change a thing but changed everything!! I don’t even know if that made sense, but at the same time it makes perfect sense. JUST DAMNNNNN!!!! And here I still don’t know if I like him or hate him because there are just parts that make you melt for him either way!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone but I know it is not for everyone, even to me sometimes it was too raw but that what makes a rememberable read. The twists that come with the story brings everything into a bigger picture that I hopes follows into the other story, because I feel this story is far from over.