Knotted

He’s fire and ruthlessness, and I’m desperate to be burned and consumed. Together, we’re a grunting, hungry battlefield, hunting and raiding, chasing and pillaging.

You guys! I read ‘Knotted by Pam Godwin, throughout the night! I started at 10:00pm thinking I would read for an hour, at most, and then go to sleep. I last looked at the clock at 3:00am. I’m not sure when I fell asleep but I awoke at 7:30 with my book on my chest. I immediately started reading again. This story is so good! It’s gritty, dark, sexy, emotional … it’s all the adjectives! You need this in your life!

Admittedly, it’s been awhile since I’ve read this author. As we all do, I have my favorite authors that I stick with consistently. While that means I’m sure to have great reading experiences, it also means, there are some talented writers out there who I am missing out on. Clearly, Pam Godwin is one of those authors.

‘Knotted’ was exquisitely written. It is one of my favorites of the year!

Twin brothers, Jake and Jarret Holsten live with their father, and Lorne and Conor Cassidy and their father, on the land owned by Cassidy’s. Their dads built the house both families live in on the ten thousand acres that belonged to Conors mom, Ava O’Conor. Their fathers became business partners after Ava and Julep (Jake and Jarret’s mother) died, leaving them to run the business and raise four kids.

From birth, these four roamed their land, laughed, played, sang and became best friends. There was never any doubt that they would one day run the family business. Each having their own jobs. Likewise, there was never doubt that Jake and Conor would be married and grow old together with their family surrounding them.

And then tragedy struck, the unthinkable happened, and Conor was ripped from the farm and taken to Chicago by her father, and Lorne was thrown in prison.

Years later with revenge on her mind, Conor comes back to the Oklahoma farm she grew up on to confront the men who threw her away.

But there were secrets that took the three men years to flesh out. As soon as they uncovered one, 10 more would bubble to the surface. It was these secrets and the danger they provided that forced the three friends to keep their Conor away until the time it was safe for her to come home.

I’m still a virgin, because I love Conor Cassidy.
I broke her heart, because I love her.
I’ll bleed for her, because I love her.
I’ll kill for her, because I love her.
I’ll make sure she realizes her dream, because I love her.
I’ll hunt down her enemies. I’ll protect her from afar. I’ll let her believe I don’t love her. Because I love her.

Jake’s love for Conor never wavered, never faltered and always burned as the driving force in everything he did. When she showed back up at the ranch after all of those years, Jake knew one thing for sure, she was his! Alpha, possessive, protective and kind, smart and loving, he was the PERFECT hero!

My girl is sunshine, rawhide, and pure fight.

Conor was beautifully written. She was broken, yet she was strong, she was submissive, yet she was powerful. Despite what happened to her, she pulled up her bootstraps and powered through. She moved on with her life, refusing to let her circumstances define her.

Knotted was a complex story with complex characters. The main characters are thoroughly fleshed out. There is no question, that by the end of the book you know all there is to know about Conor and Jake. Godwin developed her secondary characters, Jarret and Lorne, to the point where the reader is eager to know more. She set up their coming books, ‘Buckled’ #2 – Jarret and Maybe ‘Booted’ #3 – Lorne and Raina, perfectly!

I experienced all the emotions while reading this book. With ‘Knotted’, Pam Godwin built a rollercoaster of emotions. The highs were thrilling and the lows were gut-wrenching.

‘Knotted’ is a powerful, second chance romance, about healing, unconditional love, and friendships that never die! 5 Stars!

Wow! This book was intense, dark, powerful and emotional. This book focuses on Conor and Jake’s romance which is an mazing blend of sweet, innocent, joyous, painful, heartbreaking, life changing, beautiful, sexy, steamy, and enduring. It should be known that this book features rape. If this is a trigger for you, you may want to pass on this read. The level of drama, the depths of emotions, and the very intense feelings that these bring out of the reader are some of the strongest I have ever felt from a book. I was completely engaged as Conor, Jake, Conor’s brother Lorne, and Jake’s twin brother Jarret’s lives are irrevocably changed in one single night. Add in some secrets, guilt, and the PTSD that Conor is struggling to deal with and overcome, and you have a real edge of your seat read. It was really wonderful to see these two get another shot at the HEA that was brutally ripped from them. I highly recommend this awe inspiring read.

“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.” -Jake.

What I love about Pam Godwin’s writing, is she likes to push her own “limits” so to speak and her novels are unpredictable, with a multi-layered plot. Any fans of Pam’s would NOT expect her to write a cowboy romance (I certainly didn’t), but she loves to challenge herself and I think she did a phenomenal job with this book. This novel was more simplistic in plot, but that doesn’t mean it lacked any depth. There was still very much a detailed storyline that had me riveted, had my heart racing, and had me wanting to know how it was all going to turn out. I went into this book blind and I kinda feel like I am going to do that from now on with Pam’s novels. I literally had NO idea where the story was going to go, so I think that lent to a deeper connection with the story and characters.

“I’m going to trepass all over your nightmares and walk through them with you for as long as it takes. It’s not going to be fun, Conor, but you won’t be alone. Never again.” -Jake.

I’ve read several books by Pam, and she definitely doesn’t like to shy away from the more gritty and raw aspects of “dark romance”. With this book, I would say for certain the first couple chapters were the dark parts, the “foundation setting” parts of the storyline and they weren’t the easiest to read. (These particular aspects may be triggers for some readers, the blurb hints at what I’m referring to) BUT, regardless how hard they were to read, I was entirely invested in these characters and their turmoil right from the beginning. I was reading with one eye closed and one eye open! My heart was irrevocably full and then utterly hurting within the 30%, but by the end, Pam had healed me.

Told from dual POV, readers get a richer sense of the love and heartache between these two characters. KNOTTED was a story of the power of first love, sibling bonds, friendship, loyalty, healing and second chance love that new and returning fans will like.

“It’s impossible to describe the bond share. We’re too great for words. Too sacred. We’re a feeling that goes beyond starts and stops. We’re stronger than hellos and goodbyes and deeper than beginnings and ends. We’re an existence that can’t be measured. It doesn’t matter where she is or what I’ve done. We’ll always come back to this place. A place that can’t be found on a map or a time line. Nothing in the wold can touch us here.” -Jake.

Pam also does a great job of setting up the next two books in this series (which are all considered standalones).Each book within the series will focus on each male character (which are introduced in KNOTTED: Twin brothers (Jake and Jarret) and brother and sister (Lorne and Conor).

TRAILS OF SIN series continues with:
KNOTTED (Book #1) Jake’s story
BUCKLED (Book #2) Jarret’s story
BOOTED (Book #3) Lorne’s story

4 stars!

A heart-stopping, palpitating romance that was bold, beautiful, sensual, and intense. Pam Godwin once again whips up a love story that utterly raw, tangible, and palpable from the start. With her captivating prose, she has readers like myself fascinated with her characters as this book was full of layers. Layers of depth, loyalty, connection, and raw emotions with subtle dark elements that are we fond of from Pam Godwin. So if you are looking for a story that will hook you right from the start then this is the book for you. As always, the writing was phenomenal and the storytelling was a brilliant original masterpiece of beauty and sensuality.

I started reading Knotted on Saturday morning without reading the blurb. I didn’t remember what it was because let’s be honest Pam Godwin is an auto-buy author for me and I would read whatever she writes. After a few pages, I was quite surprised to see how sexy and sweet this was. I was starting to wonder if I read a Pam Godwin’s book until the moment where all goes to hell. It wasn’t that far… 10% maybe. But I was all in! I needed to know more and I needed to understand what the hell was happening. The next time I took a look at my phone I was at 42%. Suffice to say I was hooked. The characters, the plot, the writing, everything was addictive.

The Trail of Sins series tells the story of 4 friends; 3 guys and a girl. They had a plan, they had a future until one frightful night changed it all.
Jake, Jarret; his twin brother, Connor and Lorne; Connor’s brother made a pact. Unfortunately, not even that goes accordingly to plan.

Knotted is a second chance romance about Jake and Connor. They love each other from a very young age. They are perfect for each other, they are meant to be together. What happened to them was dreadful. It shattered all they were and all they thought they had. Their lives changed, they got separated and all that comes out of it is a lot of pain and hurt.

Connor is a strong character. She is a true survivor holding on what she can to stay sane. She has a purpose and a strong will to get through the traumatic event she had to endure. Jake is her top priority but when she goes back to him, her world once again crumble.

Jake carried a lot of guilt over the years but he has a goal on his own even if it means hurting repeatedly the one he can’t live without. He has secrets and is ready to share them on his own terms. I loved him and I didn’t for some of his actions. He’s careful, protective and he’s one kinky dude.

Knotted was not an easy read. It wasn’t as dark as some of Pam’s books but it definitely has a lot of triggers. Some part are brutal and thus can’t be read by anyone. Prepare yourself to feel a lot of emotions and to be taken out of your comfort zone.

As I said before, Knotted is part of the trailer of sins series and is not a stand-alone. The intrigue continues in Buckled so if this series with bad boy cowboys is any of your interest, do yourself a favour and start immediately.

This story is tragic, dark, and has a very interesting premise.

Conor and Jake were both raised on their families shared farm. One night, a terrible tragedy changed their budding teen romance and turned them into strangers. Years later, Conor returns to her family farm for vengeance but finds that it comes with a price.

This is definitely a dark read. What Conor has been through is very traumatic. I love Jake. He pushes Conor away for legitimate reasons even though his means were tough to read. 4.5 stars.

It’s Pam Godwin so you know it’s dark! Emotional and heartwrenching start to a series! It takes place on a ranch in Oklahoma. I enjoyed this book so much, even through the trauma and ugly parts. Great character development that actually makes you care about what happens and want to know what and why. I’m hooked on this series and can’t wait for more!

5 “Jake Therapy” Stars
One more amazing read from Godwin stable, lassoes your heart and hog ties your interest from the very first word !!! YeeeeeHaw!
It’s Dark and intense, sometimes ominous and dreadful, filled with cries from helpless heart, pain of broken soul, piercing and sharp. I swear it’s embedded deep and I will be thinking about it for days. This story was supposed to be about kinky cowboys, sexy enough to soak your panties, not soak your eyes!! But Pam manages to do the extraordinary yet again, making us horny and making us weep, all at the same time !
It’s a story of fateful events, that tear apart 4 friends, bound together by love and loyalty, and their land. Their fates are intertwined forever in happiness and misery.
It’s set in Julep Ranch, home to Jake & Jarret Holston, Lorne and Conor Cassidy. Carefree,innocent, joyful teenagers who have grown up together, sharing their love of the land, horses, country and music.

“The terrain of childhood shapes the soul, and the soul never forgets.”

Some knots are seen, some invisible and some that shall inevitably be a catalyst to their destruction. What starts with a promise, ends with a vow.

“All four of us will carry that scar and never forget the blood oath we made.”

In first half of the story,Connor is like a woman condemned, standing lonely, helpless & naked in a circle, surrounded by vicious cheaters and haters. She’s being stoned to death with rejection and betrayals, feeling like a throwaway.
But all is not what it seems, or else it won’t be a trademark Pam Godwin book. She creates a world of lovable characters that just nestle in your heart, you break down with them, for them. In the ravine, on side of the road, in the barn, in the abandoned house. Their tears become your tears, their passion thrums your blood, their purge becomes your cleanse.

“He uncurls his hand and stares at the scar on his palm, his expression stark. I press my thumb against my own scar……….The blood oath hasn’t changed. We both know it.”

Of all the characters, I adored and was protective of Conor the most. Her loss was my loss, her tears fell on my cheeks. I wanted to hug her, keep her safe and curl my body around her, to shield her from the bruises. Her tenacity and strength amazed me, she’s a gutsy, feisty southern girl with fresh air in her lungs and flight of horses in her step. Her horrific growth from girl to womanhood was rife with pain and abandonment. I loved her with all my heart, I wish I could’ve spared her the hideous ordeal!

“I spent six years wondering. Beating myself up. Because the three people who matter most to me in the world abandoned me, and I didn’t know why.”

Jake Holston is a true southern gentleman, and a hunky ass cowboy. Thick muscled legs, low riding jeans, gravelly deep voice and a Stetson. Bronzed skin and brown eyes…ooooooh

“Jake lives by a code of etiquette that embodies southern manners, such as inviting in visitors, ma’aming and siring, and tipping his hat at the ladies. But his good ol’ boy upbringing also means he will mess someone up if he thinks one of his own is threatened or harmed.”

His back is strong enough to bear the guilt and responsibilities. He is made to grow up overnight, negotiate his life through suspicious and deadly terrain. His job is to clean the ranch, protect it from internal and external threats, and coordinate everybody’s life around him.I simply swooooooned for him!
Jarret, I’m sure will have his own volatile story in Buckled and the start is already in place….
Lorne is still in background but I’m sure he’ll shine in Booted.
One major peeve, the book ended too quickly, I wanted to read more, I was greedy for more of Jake & Conor. I just raced through the book, not wanting to finish and savour it, but anxious to turn the page nevertheless. You will not be able to step away, even for a minute. Chapter 2 will leave you with mouth open and hanging, you’ll have WTF, “she did not” moment and from that point on, you will want to manually change the course of the story, it’s that real!!
My most fave line of the book that drove me to ugly cry

“No matter what, we stay together. Miles, months, cities, years…” Her breath strangles. “We’re bigger than anything that tries to come between us.”

Even though I’m not a cowboy hero fan, this being my first Cowboy book, Pam has managed to turn my heart

“Don’t judge me because I have a thing for naked cowboys with killer abs and endless stamina.”

Cannot wait to see if Jarret will match Jake in sexual energy and will he meet his own match in the next book…..Maybe!

I was consumed by this book from the very first line and devoured it pretty quickly but it lost its steam for me around the healing sessions. The heroine suffered something very traumatic but I wasn’t wholly onboard or satisfied with the way they went about healing her. It felt like her power and strength were being stripped from her a session at a time. I also didn’t like the way the hero got her to agree to it, it felt very controlling and domineering.

Knotted is beautifully written. It has some of the most well-crafted sentences I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading but it didn’t fully work for me.

ARC provided by author in exchange for a honest review

I love Pam Godwin’s books! Knotted is the first book in the new series Trails of Sin. Knotted is Conor Cassidy and Jake Holsten’s story.

Conor’s mother owns the ranch land that they all live on. Both Conor’s and Jake’s mother died on the same day and together. They have all grown up together in the same huge house. A terrible thing happens on Conor’s 16th birthday that changed all their lives going forward.

Pam Godwin is such a good story teller. I enjoyed reading Knotted. Once I sat down and started to read this book I couldn’t put it down!

The next book in this series is Jarret’s turn. Jarret is Jake’s twin brother and we met Maybe towards the end of Knotted.

A little note from Pam Godwin:
Even though the books in the Trails of Sin series can be read as standalones. You will need to read them in order. TRAILS OF SIN series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Knotted #1 – Jake and Conor
Buckled #2 – Jarret and Maybe
Booted #3 – Lorne and Raina

I give Knotted 4.5 stars and I am looking forward to reading Buckled!