“My top read in the last year. This book is why I fell in love with reading.” USA Today Bestselling Author Meagan BrandyThere’s a rule in Crowne Hall: never look a Crowne in the eyes.It protects us more than them.I broke it once, the night Grayson Crowne mistook me for his true love and stole my first kiss. I’ve regretted it every day since.He hates me.He torments me.He won’t let me go, because … me.
He won’t let me go, because that night he whispered a secret against my lips not meant for me. Grayson Crowne, heir to the Crowne empire and notorious playboy prince is… a virgin.
I signed a contract in my heart’s blood as much as ink: help him get back his love, repair what I broke. Give him my body, my soul, my heart, let him use all of me, so when the time comes to marry her, he won’t need me.
I shouldn’t need him.
But he’s my stolen soulmate, and I’m at his mercy.
Stolen Soulmate is the second book in the Crowne Point universe. You do not need to have read Heartless Hero to read Stolen Soulmate, though it is recommended. It will enhance your reading experience as you will catch easter eggs and the timelines overlap.
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“You wrapped your heart in thorns, and I buried mine in secrets.”
There’s no possible way to put into words how I feel after reading Gray & Story’s book! This book slayed me. Completely destroyed me from the first page to the last. It was fantastically written and artfully executed. Riveting and shocking. It.was.everything!!!
Story has been a servant to Abigail, sister of Gray Crowne until one fateful encounter with the Crowne Prince. Poetic and beautiful. Docile. Story has been unknown to her capture for years… but now she’s on his radar.
Gray Crowne is the oldest child and carries the biggest responsibility of them all… to carry on the family legacy. Cruel and callous. Manipulative. Arrogant. He’s been nicknamed… Playboy Gray.
But Gray has a Secret… one Story knows.
“We’re just connected by a secret I was never supposed to know”
This Book!!! At the top of best books I’ve ever read. Skillfully written it’ll pull at your heart and make you want to scream. Within its dark pages lies a soul crushing love story like nothing I’ve read before.
You will need Kleenex. You will need someone to talk to. You will be speechless.
Mary Catherine Gebhard has delivered the book of the year!
5+ stars!!
I honestly don’t know what do say. I’m going through an emotional rollercoaster I’m heartbroken. This is the first book I have read from this author. Once I started I couldn’t put it down. Story and Gray’s story captured my heart right from the start. This was a slow burn romance with lots of angst. This is a must read. I look forward to reading more from Mary.
I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.
Overall Grade:
I have to begin my review with candid honesty. I did not read the first book in this series, and I think I may have missed the depth of Story and Greyson’s story. Yes, this is steamy. Yes, their chemistry flies off the page. Yes, you pine for them to end up together. However, this book takes it in a different direction in the end, and a small part of you dies a little. The emotional one-two punch of this book will keep you reading especially through those moments that tear at your heart. This suggests that Mary Catherine Gebhard can weave romance together in a way that grabs at your soul. If you love angsty romance with an ill-fated hero and heroine, then you will want to read Stolen Soulmate. It’s steamy, dirty, and will bring you to your knees.
If you read Heartless Hero, I’m sure you had to know Grayson’s story.
If you think you have read all the great bully romance out there, then you’re not ready for Stolen Soulmate.
I was on the edge at all times, this enemies to lovers story takes another step , higher than ever, into how rapid a heart can beat to all the craziness that happens. I’m speechless and I was swearing more than ever in my life.
I don’t want to read any blurb, any spoilers or teasers or sneak peek, I just need the next books in the series to make my heart whole again.
ARC REVIEW
My heart has been stolen by a cruel prince and his not-so-love-story.
Honestly, I am aching all over after finishing this book, and I can confirm I have very conflicting feelings towards this incredibly talented author.
‘Stolen Soulmate’ by Mary Catherin Gebhard and I can officially say, I AM NOT OKAY.
This is a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, emotional story that will grip your soul and never let it go, sinking its claws and teeth so far in you won’t be able to see where you end and this story begins.
I had no idea what I was walking into, I did not know what to expect from this book and I definitely did not expect this story to jump me and rob me of all of my feelings.
This is an incredibly captivating story, a cruel one nonetheless, masked as a love story.
A crazy, intricate and one of a kind book that you won’t forget, or have enough of, or read fast enough. Seriously, it will occupy every empty space in your life.
Grayson Crowne is a cruel man, a dark prince, the heir of the Crowne empires and a vicious character to have against you. He is hard and stoic, with the looks of a God but a cutting tongue, Grayson will captivate you and make you fall in love with his unique and intriguing personality.
The whole world has this big image of what Grayson is that he’s almost become an object, something to gain from, steal from and use. But in reality, underneath all that malice, void faces and cruel words, hide a broken man who feels too much and is too afraid to let anyone in, because it always ends up with him getting hurt.
A man with values and a strong mind who’d go to the ends of the earth to protect the few people he really cares about, even if he doesn’t really show it.
Storybook Hale is an incredible woman who due to circumstances is stuck being a servant for the Crowne family. She is beautiful and reserved, a good employee, a hard worker, an empathic person who would do anything to avoid hurting someone, even putting herself in the line of fire.
She is a little fireball, a stubborn and smart woman who can’t help but crush on the bad boy of the family.
Her life has not been easy, in fact, her soul has been scarred so many times it’s hard to even open up and let someone see what lies underneath.
Story is strong and stubborn, someone who will always rise to the challenge and even push people a little bit, especially if it is the cruel man who took her and her heart captive.
I have to warn you because this is not a love story, this is a cruel demonstration of life and how unfair it can be.
This is a very powerful book that will take you through an intensely emotional journey while also rewarding you with lots of steam and angst.
This is a vicious and dark novel that will nonetheless steal your heart and make you feel for these characters in a whole new and otherworldly way.
Be prepared to have your heart broken and stomped on, then have it whole again and full of joy and love, and then have it ripped out of your chest again and again and again.
A hard but rewarding book you won’t be able to put down and one you won’t ever get over.
This Book!
To be honest I was unsure of this book after reading Heartless Hero. I wasn’t really happy with the characters after that. But once I got into Stolen Soulmate… It All Changed!!
Mary completely made these characters relatable and Lovable! I didn’t think that would be possible with Gray after HH. Like everyone was saying I got Completely Wrecked by Gray! I loved seeing him more in depth! Everything isn’t what it seems!
This story completely captivated me from the very start! It was like I was in Crowne point with them! I absolutely need more of the Crowne family! I can’t wait for more!
This is Absolutely a Must Read!
Stolen Soulmate is a consuming and heartbreaking story. The push and pull are ridiculously emotional. So much pain, so much love and hate. I am gobsmacked by the amount of feeling and angst this author was able to jam-pack into this book. The pages simply overflowed with it. It was relentless. I was addicted to the love and heartbreak this author doled my heart over and over again. The punches kept coming but my hope sprung eternal
Grayson’s darkness is all encompassing and absolutely compelling. He is tortured and cruel and I loved seeing his breakdown and what makes him tick.
I couldn’t believe everything Story went through. She had strength in spades. When she was happy, I was happy. When she was heartbroken, I cried along with her.
This story is emotional upheaval. A story of star-crossed lovers who are made for each other but are torn apart time and time again due to outside forces that want to keep them apart.
This is the first book by MCG I read and it will not be the last. This book ends on a cliff-hanger that simply stopped my heart. I need the next book like I need air.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gray and Story are so passionate in their feelings for each other. Gray plans on using Story but ends up captivated by her. The angst is real with this story. I recommend reading the first book to get a better feel for this story. A bully to the nth degree read with so many emotions.
5+ SOULMATE STARS!! Okay….My heart is still broken after 24 hours!! Gray and Story are beautiful broken soulmates, but together they are the perfect work of art. Their story has all the feels to pull your heart out, squeeze it and put it back together again. Mary Catherine Gebhard has written a masterpiece with this book….I can’t wait to see what is next. You definitely need this book in your life.
HOLY, I JUST CAN’T Y’ALL!! Don’t do me like this Mary Catherine!Oh My God! I’m not alright, my friends! I need to know what’s happening next , like I need air in my lungs.
Grayson Crowne has broken my heart, he melted my heart, ripped out my heart. I should hate everything about him. He is cruel, controlling, and seems to lack empathy where most people are concerned. But there is so much more to him than what he allows others to see. Underneath the composed layers of cruelty is a good guy worthy of our sweet beautiful Story, I just know he is in there.
However, the Gorgeously Cruel sexy and devious Grayson Crowne somehow still managed to capture the heart of Storybook Hale. She is all that’s beautiful and good in this world, yet life continues to take dump after dump on her. She just wants to do her job and blend into the background, never putting her heart at risk to be crushed again, like it was before by someone in a social class high above her.
Gray really is just awful, but you know there’s a decent guy, whose heart isn’t a frozen block of ice, a sweet gentle and tender guy underneath the horrible top layers. If he would just let Story peel away the layers and unveil the man she knows lies beneath.
Storybook is sassy and ballsy and the perfect one to snap back at Gray. She evokes feelings and emotions in him that bother him on so many different levels.
I love her combative attitude with him. In a world of beautiful people, She has this understated sexiness and sweetness he can’t help but be drawn to. Story knows there is more to Grayson than he allows everyone to see because she has been watching him, fantasizing about him for years. But how many times will she allow him to hurt her before she walks away for good? Or will she allow herself to become a part of history repeating itself?
I love the emotional beat down this book served me! One moment smiles cover my face at the banter between these two characters and then in the next chapter I’m literally devastated at the cruelty one of my loves is enduring! Yes, Yes, Yes!
This is Dark, and Cruel and Angsty and Super Sexy. It’s full of twisted characters, secrets and lies that will have you wanting to chuck your kindle across the room.
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book!
My Cr8zysockbookblock blog wrap up for this book!
– Dark fans, this for y’all loves!! This starts off with hawtness!! if you are looking for some sweet, sappy love story that makes your heart go pitter patter, this ain’t it! It has its moments, but mostly you are going to get back and forth banter, heat, frustration, angst. All the amazingness I FLOVE!
-The fact that they fought like hell the way they did not for so long made this so much hotter when they threw down. HOLY god!! So many times I didn’t know if they were about to fight or well… um you know!
Cliffhanger Warning-Cliffy Baby!! Be ready to set that count down for book two.
Trigger Warning-This is a dark romance and does have scenes of bullying and cruelty. If you are bothered by things of that nature this may not be the book for you. If you have concerns you can PM for more information.
I finished this book two days ago, and I am finally at a place where I can attempt to write a review that will do this book justice. If you’ve read MCG before, you know she does not hold back – ever. And this book was no different. Although I first met Grayson Crowne and Story in Heartless Hero (the first book in this series), I had NO idea what their relationship would be like. Story, especially, was such a mystery in HH and I was excited to learn more about her character in Stolen Soulmate.
But…my heart is NOT ok! I don’t know when I’ll be ok until I get more words from MCG! This author managed to weave the biggest anti-hero, bully, and cruel man into my heart and soul. How?!? Just how???
Grayson Crowne hides his true colors well behind the facade of being heartless, cocky, and superior, when all the while he has one of the biggest hearts of this cast of characters. Story sees right through him. She SEES him. And when he finally sees her, it is all-consuming and addictive. Their chemistry is hot from the start and never lets up. Their relationship progresses naturally with all of the push and pull you would expect from a bully romance, and when they fell – it is hard and unrelenting. I fell with them. I fell for Story just as hard as I did for Gray. Their passion, possession and loyalty to each other is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I cheered for them both at times and cried and screamed at others. No matter how much MCG pulled at my heartstrings with this book – I still want more. I NEED MORE!!!! Side characters move over because all I want is more of Gray & Story!!!
Well done once again MC Gebhard!
I’ve read this book.
I’ve survived this book.
I AM NOT F*#INKG OKAY…
I CANNOT BREATH….that is all what I want to say right now…
Every single word just run away from my empty head… from my non existent heart. Mary Cathereine Gebhard with Mr. Freaking Gray Crwone just consumed my bookish soul for their breakfast. They were soooooo ruthless, but…. Jesus I would let them do this again.
Stollen Soulmate was for sure the best book I’ve read from this author, but O M G…. I feel so broken …. I wasn’t ready for this, what I’VE BEEN going thru reading THIS book…. I’m not sure if I will love this author, or I will feel more angry with her. Stolen Soulmate was briliant , but also raw and so heartbreaking. NOW I JUST NEED MORE OF MY CROWNE’s high.
People, You need to meet Gray and HIS-STORY… a girl who need to be loved , a girl who is enough brave reascue Young Ms Crowne’s HEART. A GIRL WHO wants to nothing more than only herself for Gray and for her own soul and heart.
I am utterly wrecked. What the fudge just happened!?! My heart is beating out of control. MCG really played with my emotions. I was so consumed by Gray and his messed up behaviour towards Story who is merely a lonely and broken girl. You want to hug her and give her all the happiness. The twist and turns the author throws in there made me want to throw my kindle. This beautifully cruel story is a must read but brace yourself because the impact it will have on your heart is gonna break you. This is an out of this world read as Mary Catherine Gebhard penned what I think is her best story yet! Stolen Soulmate is a true masterpiece. Her words created such a phenomenal story and the characters are unforgettable. You will not walk away from this book unscathed. #guttedbygray
I am completely mind blown , gutted and speechless after reading this book , I had to wait a few days to get my emotions in check and I’M. STILL. NOT. OK.
This book completely caught me off guard and was so not what I was expecting! This is a slow burn angsty af romance like no other it’s filled with sexy steamy moments , heartbreaking truths and the tension between these two is so thick that when they do finally come together it’s dirty raw and hot af ! gahhh! My heart literally hurts when I think of Story and Gray and it just ain’t fair that Gray can’t be left alone to love who he wants and live life with the girl who stole his heart like a thief in the night .
I so did not see that ending coming ! BEST BOOK OF 2020 ! IMO and if you were a fan of Heartless Hero than you definitely will want to be #wreckedbygray !
*** I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book ***
I read Stolen Soulmate over 9 days ago…
I wrote the first things that came to mind then I left it for 9 days. It wasn’t much at all but it was raw, real emotions left in the wake of Stolen Soulmate. I would come back almost daily to try to rewrite my review but I couldn’t write a review that adequately described how Gray made me feel.
Today I deleted it all.
Yep…deleted pretty much my entire review for SS…Why you ask?
Because my words were definitely not appropriate for public consumption…
I have never read a book that got me so hot & bothered YET so angry in the very next moment! Gray is most definitely the king of that special brand of entitled JERK that we hate and love equally. It’s when you start peeling away the layers of Gray that you really begin to love him more than hate.
I got my first look at Gray’s character in Heartless Hero and his character was the kind you shook your head at but immediately wanted more of. I loved HH so so sooooo much and I fell in love with the entire Crowne Point world. I had this feeling that I would love Gray’s book but I had no idea that I’d love it this much!
Now…I’ve had my heart shredded by Mary before and it was so bad that I legit didn’t think she could break me that bad again.
I was wrong!
She can! She did! She will break you too!
If you ever doubt her ability to strike you speechless and rip your heart out in the process, just get ready because it’s coming! She’s going to do it!
Gray AND Mary completely broke me!
The characters in this story are intense and addictive; they will cause you to want to do physical harm to whatever electronic you are currently reading it on. However in the process I hop that you will see the layers to a character that not many will see. Most will see Story, sympathize with her and know why she is who she is but most people will overlook the depth of Gray and see only his actions that make us want to hate him but if you truly read, you’ll see the things about him that Story loves and then have no choice but to love him too. Story, my heart ached for the life that she lives…I really just wanted to take both of them and wrap them up to keep the big bad world away from them.
That big bad world is code for the ones I consider the villains of this story…which I will keep to myself because SPOILERS…..and SPOIL A STORY I do not!
Stolen Soulmate is the second book in the Crowne Point series and it’s absolutely amazing. I am familiar with Mary Gebhard’s writing style, but nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of this book. It’s addictive, like a high that gets in your veins and you can’t do anything else but chase it until the last page.
Grayson Crowne is the heir of Crowne Industries. He’s rich, arrogant, entitled, cruel, and the epitome of an alpha male. He’s insanely gorgeous and everybody considers him a notorious playboy, but there’s more to Gray than meets the eye. There’s also a great burden on his shoulders, a sense of responsibility towards his family name that he’s had to endure since he was seven years old. He’s supposed to marry his childhood sweetheart, a business arrangement more than anything else, but Gray is ok with it because he’s fond of Lottie and he thinks she’s the perfect woman for him. That is until Story, a maid in the Crowne mansion, comes into the picture and turns his world upside down, stirring new emotions in his heart. She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a stolen kiss seals their fates forever.
Gray and Story together are like a raging volcano. Their chemistry is so intense, and each interaction between them is scorching hot. She sees beyond Gray’s playboy’s facade, she matches him perfectly and even when he is cruel towards her, Story can’t help the need to get closer to him. I loved how she nestled in his heart bit by bit, and how he protects her even though he knows he needs to steer clear from the enchanting girl that understands him better than anyone else, better than his own family. They’re both jaded souls, trapped in a cruel world that revolves around power, money, and glamour. This might sound like a Cinderella fairytale but this story can only end in heartbreak.
Told in dual POV, with lots of drama, intrigue, twists of events and wonderfully developed characters, this book was an emotional rollercoaster and I absolutely loved it. I can’t wait to see what comes next in the series.
*ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.*
Gahhhhhh…..just ahhhhhhhh!!! I am not really sure what just happened. Stunned. Shook. There are no words. All I know is that MCG just went and ripped my heart right out of my chest and she better fix it… SOON!!!
This story was stunning, breathtaking, utterly amazing and definitely MCG’s best work to date. The story line was intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat. Grayson is the ultimate misunderstood bad boy and stole my heart. Seriously, I think he ruined me. Story was just perfect. I mean she had just the right amount of bravery and sass with a heart of pure gold. I was lost in this book from page 1 and I cannot wait to see what happens next in the Crowne world. I seriously hope both Gray and Story receive the picture perfect ending they deserve!! I cannot wait for the next book!
If you enjoy dark bully romances with an alphahole that you’ll love (for the most part) and that will give you all the emotions, then this is the book for you!!
This is the kind of book that you need to just go in blind and experience for yourself. I’ll only give you a little snippet because spoilers would kill the experience.
An innocent mistake spirals into something that challenges everything they previously had planned. Grayson Crowne, a cruel playboy whose deeper than the persona he keeps and Story Hale, a servant whose only ever strived to remain hidden in the halls of Crowne Point.
MCG creates these characters that end up being more complex than expected and beautifully broken. They continue to unravel as the story builds until you’re staring at the core of them and in love with everything you’ve seen. Her writing is captivating and I was hooked from the very beginning.
Stolen Soulmate is heartbreakingly romantic and utterly gut-wrenching.
Read it. Love it. Talk to me about it!
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
I am at such a loss for words right now. This book was so much more than I was expecting, and the journey it takes you on is full of emotions…the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Grayson is use to pretending. He has an image to portray and a girl to impress. He feels like he knows what he wants, and is actually going to be happy with his life.
Story is full of mystery. Her mom’s past actions drive her to be a better person, and she has a strong determination to make something of herself. Unfortunately, her loyalty to her uncle has her putting up with things that no one should.
This story is not your typical love story. The ups and downs, twists and turns, will have you falling in love with these characters, but also wanting to throttle Grayson at the same time. Each character is a puppet in this society, and what happens next will determine if they are willing to cut the strings.
This book does end on a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. I honestly did not see that ending coming. I thought for sure something would derail that event.
-An Arc was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
*** 5- angsy, ripping my heart out stars ***
What a fantastic world Mary painted in this wonderful semi-bully, forbidden love story. She managed to paint a picture that pulled me from reality into a new type of world that I absolutely loved. The privileged meets the “help” and in a very Cinderella-feeling way. Two people, never destined to be together but nonetheless destined for each other. The push, the pull, my heart was constantly being tugged throughout this entire book. Will they get their HEA or won’t they? It was brilliantly written. If she had not been accomplished so well, I would have gotten bored and frustrated with this type of push-pull but in this case, I actually felt my heart beating faster…my chest filling with rage at some points and heartache with others. She managed to make me feel like the heroine in the book. This book made my heart soar, hurt and burst apart. I cannot wait to find out what is going to happen next. I haven’t had a book hangover like this in ages.
I will now go and read Heartless Hero. I own it but haven’t read it yet. What I can honestly say as a result is that this book can be read without reading that one first, but, the story lines are parallel and you do find out some things along the way. I would recommend reading Heartless Hero first, but it isn’t totally necessary.