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Forbidden Hearts #2

Wrong to Need You

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He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with his brother’s widow…

Accused of a crime he didn't commit, Jackson Kane fled his home, his name, and his family. Ten years later, he’s come back to town: older, wiser, richer, tougher—and still helpless to turn away the one woman he could never stop loving, even after she married his brother.

Sadia Ahmed can’t deal with the feelings her mysterious former brother-in-law stirs, but she also can’t turn down his offer of help with the cafe she’s inherited. While he heats up her kitchen, she slowly discovers that the boy she adored has grown into a man she’s simply unable to resist.

An affair is unthinkable, but their desire is undeniable. As secrets and lies are stripped away, Sadia and Jackson must decide if they’re strong enough to face the past...and step into a future together.

358 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 28, 2017

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Alisha Rai

30 books2,510 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
Profile Image for Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾.
2,120 reviews13.1k followers
November 13, 2017
What did you call your brother’s widow?
Off-limits.


It's rare these days to find a romance novel with characters that are so authentic and real. Characters that are imperfect, but not for the sake of angst and drama. Characters that you feel like you may already know or run into on the street. This story, while slow paced, felt so vivid and genuine, that even though it took a bit to get into, I couldn't put it down for even a second.

Sadia Ahmed has been through heartbreak in her life. The black sheep in her family, her shotgun wedding to her husband forced a rift with her very traditional parents. But she never regretted the choices she's made. And while she lost her husband to a tragic accident, she has a beautiful son to remember him by.

Jackson Kane has been running from his past for years. Accused of a crime he didn't commit, he left the town he grew up in and his family and hasn't looked back since. But it's been a year since his estranged brother has passed, and he can't fight the urge to check up on his widow that he's always fought his feelings for.
This isn’t right.”
“You always do what’s right?”
“Lately, yes.”
“I’d be the safest wrong thing you could do.”

This is a character driven story, and with that, the character development is truly incredible. Jackson isn't your stereotypical alpha. He's shy, reserved, not good with words, and doesn't shy away from putting his feelings right in the open. Ridden with guilt for his feelings for Sadia or not, he can't stay away from her anymore. Not when the pull is this strong.

I have to admit, set ups like this always make me hesitant. Is the hero going to play second fiddle to the husband? Is he going to feel like a consolation prize. And the answer is a giant resounding no. The author did such an incredible job painting a picture of two people that share something that defines most boundaries, but feels real and authentic.
She wanted him. It was unwise and complicated, but she didn’t know how she’d survive if she couldn’t have him. She’d regret it forever, and she lived with enough regrets.

I loved that Sadia was primarily the aggressor in a lot of their interactions. She's not shy, and that goes twofold in bed. The woman isn't afraid to take the reins and Jackson is man enough to do her bidding eagerly. This was such an interesting dynamic that really fit the characters and I couldn't get enough of it.
My shoulders are strong. I’ll help you carry your baggage.”

I love romances with interracial romance, and the mix that these characters had was so rare, it made me appreciate it all the more.

There's quite a bit of the family dynamic that played a role in this story, that admittedly I was a little lost on at times and wondered if it was more discussed in the previous book. I have every intention of going back and reading the first book because I completely fell in love with this author's writing style.
It wasn't just a romance, there's a slew of secondary characters that you can't help but connect with as well. This is particularly true with Sadia's adorable son. The Kane and Chandler ties were a touch confusing at times, but I have a feeling reading the first book will clear a lot of that up for me.

If you're looking for a nice change of pace and a romance that's full of depth and emotion, this is a book you need to check out. This author has gone straight to my auto-buy list.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

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Profile Image for Navessa.
Author 13 books8,133 followers
February 2, 2019

Honestly, Alisha Rai can do no wrong.

Her romances are so fucking progressive and feminist without ever feeling like she's shoving ideals or an agenda down the readers throats. Her characters are superbly developed, her plots are intricate and elicit ALL the feels, and the chemistry between her male and female leads is always off the chart.

She will forever be on my auto-buy list.
Profile Image for Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘.
867 reviews4,051 followers
February 15, 2021


Then why are you crueler to yourself than you'd be to a stranger?

^I'm not crying, you are.

Okay so : Jackson and Sadia's story was everything I didn't know I needed.

So who cares if I've lost all ability to craft a review in the past few months? I'm just gonna use a few adjectives because I've heard that they were The Worst and isn't that funny after all these years of lists my English teachers made me learn by heart and wouldn't it be [insert adjective] if they were useless and I'm using way too many [and] I'm sure this is not proper grammar either but anyway.

Wrong to Need You.

So heartfelt
and raw
and real
and uplifting.

and hot.
hot is important.

Nouns have gotten jealous, so.

Secrets
and family
and wounds
and beginnings

and that word you have on the tip of your tongue?
That one too.

I need Alisha Rai to write more of her fantastic diverse romances.

4.5 stars.

For more of my reviews, please visit:
Profile Image for Sam (AMNReader).
1,425 reviews305 followers
December 26, 2018
Reread w/ Gaufre 12/18. Still a 4. I find this a more enjoyable offering than book 1.

Original Review

I’m dealing with a pretty solid book hangover. Both from staying up later than I normally do (why oh why do hours matter so much in your late 30s, ouch), and from this book.

I promised myself I wouldn’t compare. I love both books. They are just different flavors. Though this was still rife with tension, I would say the level of angst wasn’t quite the same. The feel was similar, but not as intensely…painful? This book had a couple weaknesses, although it’s wasn’t enough to steer into 3 star territory or anything…

By now, most of us know this book is of Sadia and Jackson, and how the heck are they going to get together. Jackson’s been MIA and silent for years despite his best friend Sadia and sister needing him. He finally arrives for his sister. We find out a bit later why he couldn’t come to his brother’s funeral. Because if we are led to believe that Jackson is a consistent character (we are), we quickly realize he’s a rock. We just don’t know the motivations that led to his prolonged absence and ultimately abandonment of his family and the people who loved him. Jackson’s closed himself off, made his world black and white, shut himself down.

That’s what he was, what he’d aspired to be. Alive, but unfeeling. His heart beat, his blood pounded, his organs functioned.
That was it. That was enough.
Or he’d thought it was enough.


It doesn’t take long to realize this is because Jackson doesn’t make connections easily, and when he does, they run deep.

And don’t worry, his motivations were brilliant. How could this brother, who we know held Livvy through her darkest days, disappoint? He didn’t.

The lack of smooth talk in Jackson really allows for his actions to shine through to the other characters. It’s also why they all must have felt so incredibly hurt when he left. And though he fumbled through saying the wrong things (like he did with Livvy) like “perfect,” he at one point, prior to a very uniquely hot scene…says exactly the right thing. I swear I flushed at it.

Sadia was an equally deep character. Though she and Paul had a difficult last couple of years, her love and respect for him is evident. What grabbed me about Sadia? This idea she wanted to be seen as a woman, not a mother or widow. So relatable. What else? I am with Sadia on men’s hands. Like 1,000% with her.

some women were seduced by a voice or a touch or a look. For Sadia Ahmed, it was hands.

Sadia is a planner. An over-planner: down to the minute, to keep control over her life, where she’s incredibly thinly stretched. Her fear of failure is understandable, as the seeming under-achiever in a family of MDs. Her devotion to family is what can only be described as mama-bearish. Sadia, too, is incredibly easy to understand. She has fear, but it’s not debilitating. She’s classy as hell and doesn’t gossip. Her family was also brilliantly drawn. And Rai once again does some sneaky “just is” diverse characters, in a solid and meaningful way rather than shallow and stereotypical. *Salutes Alisha Rai for giving us what we need and want.*

Oh, but watching this relationship develop. Their internal monologues both so relatable and understandable. I think Jackson, in particular, is the one who had me biting my nails. I could just feel his discomfort, understand him in social situations, yes, but also in those little vulnerabilities.


Oh god no, he couldn’t use her kitchen. If touching her waist and staying above her garage felt intimate, cooking at the stove in her house, for him, would be the equivalent of seeing him naked.

He felt like a kid jumping from couch cushion to couch cushion, unable to touch the floor. If he touched the floor, lava would get him. If he stopped kissing her, he’d start thinking…He knew what was coming. The lava.

There are other subtle and not subtle references, really well done, to mental health, to “accomplishments” to the struggle and joys of the grind.
I got through another day.
I showered.
I got out of bed.
I combed my hair.

This was from Sadia’s point of view. Sadia’s panic and anxiety didn’t strike me as dominant parts of her character, as in Livvy’s story, but the idea that this list is made of accomplishments makes many of us with mental health issues say “yep, been there.”

So, if this slow growing, friends-to-lovers, torch-carrying hero, second-chancey romance isn’t perfect, why not? Because, frankly, it is fucking close. The self-possessed widowed mother, or the action-oriented chef and it adds up to a really really wonderful book. And it is a wonderful book, but some things irritated me.

The side characters came off as too perfect. I said I wouldn’t compare, but bear with me. Anyone who faced redemption in the first book now became some kind of relationship expert, with platitudes and wisdom that far exceeded their grasp or pride before Livvy and Nicholas got together. In addition, the author clearly can not let the romance of the first couple go and I fear how often things would center around the non-central characters. As more characters in this complex family romance are redeemed, I fear more will become one-dimensional and the strength of these novels has been in how multi-dimensional the family and their issues are.

I keep these quotes here for me, but I would recommend skipping them if you haven’t read the book:

Profile Image for Warda.
1,257 reviews21.5k followers
January 12, 2018
Well, look at that. I finally managed to finish my first book of the year. 🎉

It wasn't the best. It wasn't the worst. It was the easy kind of read I needed to get me back into the reading game. And it has helped. Somewhat.

I much preferred the first book. I wish the author took more time with her characters and explored the layers of their personality and their past, because there was SO much to it. It felt slightly rushed. Touched upon, but no development.

One thing I do appreciate about this series though is its diversity. Seeing words like 'InshaAllah' (God willing) and 'MashaAllah' (expressing appreciation, praise or thankfulness) felt nice to read.
Profile Image for WhiskeyintheJar.
1,369 reviews631 followers
March 6, 2018
3.5 stars

She was a mother, a widow. To a lot of people, she’d discovered, those two titles took precedence over being a woman.

It is no secret I loved the heck out of the first in this series and with a pairing I was worried/not feeling (sister-in-law/brother-in-law), this was always going to have a hard time measuring up.
The writing is superb, no problems there, but the components just weren't to my personal liking.
This is, by my guess, 30-40ish% our main couple Jackson and Sadia and 70-60ish% family issues/drama; for a very long time it feels way more contemporary fiction romance instead of what I was anticipating for romance contemporary fiction.

The lusting from Sadia starts right away and the comments she makes in the first 20% felt almost immature (when she realizes the mystery man is Jackson) because of the issues/relationship between them. It was hard for me to move from the emotional pain and relationship complexities to Sadia saying hot Jackson's butt was. After the 20% those kind of comments and tone kind of fade off, to the betterment, I think.

As with Livvy (we get snippets of her and Nicholas here!), I thought Sadia was a great complex, multi-faceted heroine. Her inner family stresses along with grief, motherhood, money, and sexual desires are laid out so bare and real. It feels weird to wax poetic about a "normal" woman character as if other heroines aren't "normal", because what is normal and all that but dang it, I feel like I don't read a lot of normal heroines. Sadia is all of it, a mother, stressed, a daughter, horny, a sister, a list maker, bisexual, a widower, hurt, and etc. Loved her character.

I love me some broody, quiet, and strong types and while Jackson was all of that and a muscle tattooed bag of chips, he felt too closed off to me as the reader; I selfishly like to be let in, as the reader, before or more than the other book characters. His shyness for being such a big dude was refreshing and endearing but I never reached a solid place of "knowing" his character.

This line had me primal screaming/giddy/high:
There was a reason he’d never gotten along with many men—these absurd power plays were too foolish.
How bleeping amazing to have men relationships/dynamics called into the spotlight instead of the tired "women can't be friends because of jealously and/or competitiveness". I don't know, some justice was served for me with this line, lol.

It was a little tough to wade through the family drama and dynamics that steal the time and show from Sadia and Jackson. Tough because I wanted more romance/relationship from them but if I had gone in with the expectation of more contemp fiction, the writing and characterization is amazing. At around the 55% mark Sadia and Jackson's relationship heats up with some voyeurism and it is sexually on from there. It felt a little packed in (get your mind out of the gutter) with the sex scenes so grouped together but the emotional baggage of the sis/bro-in-law probably required the wait, I just would have liked them to have more talking/together scenes before.

Anyway, if looking for a fantastically written family drama with some explicit sex scenes this should be your next purchase. There were some Gabe and Eve appearances in this and I'm dying to see them together in the next book.

“It’s hard to make your peace with someone who isn’t around anymore. Or more accurately, to make your peace with never making your peace.” She smiled sadly. “But sometimes it’s the only thing you can do.”
Profile Image for Sara ➽ Ink Is My Sword.
572 reviews469 followers
July 27, 2018
✪✪✪ ½
“Love takes practice. Love isn’t passive, it’s active. A verb.”

description All images were found in pinterest, I do not own any of them.

Jackson is my new book boyfriend, but honestly I kinda fell a little for Sadia too.

⚠ Panic attacks, Anxiety


💭Pre-reading thoughts:
I AM SO EXCITED!
I got so intrigued by Jackson in book 1.
Also let's appreciate the diversity, Sadia: Pakistani & Jackson: Japanese-American.
Profile Image for Jiana.
297 reviews932 followers
July 26, 2018
Not as good as the first book. I didn’t quite feel the chemistry between Jackson and Sadia as I had felt it between Nicholas and Livvy, plus the book lacked the excitement that was present in the first book. I just wasn’t invested.
Profile Image for Lover of Romance.
3,179 reviews961 followers
November 18, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

What happens when two old friends rediscover a passion and love they had forgotten about and rekindled those old flames....

Wrong To Need You is the second book in this fabulous new series by Alisha Rae....Forbidden Hearts. Now this book pretty much takes off right after book one, where our hero and heroine from "Hate To Want You" have gone off and everyone in town is talking about the forbidden lovers. Our heroine, Sadia, is best friends with Livvy, and she doesn't have a clue what is really going on. Sadia is busy enough with recovering from the grief of losing her husband Paul and raising their son Kareem. She is running the cafe and bartending nights just to fend off the loan sharks left behind by her late husband. Then she comes across the one man she hasn't seen in years but loved since she was young, Jackson Kane. Jackson fled when he was accused of a crime that he didn't commit but everyone but his brother and mother knew the real truth. Now he is back after traveling the world and aiding the one woman he has loved for as long as he can remember...Sadia.

In this story is some very heartbreaking truths that become revealed about Jackson and Sadia. Of course, Jackson hasn't written to Sadia for quite a while, and so Sadia is pretty angry with him for some logical reasons of course. But they soon overcome those past hurt feelings in the beginning and focus on being friends again which turns into developing something more. Jackson has traveled the world and become an infamous chef and starts helping out Sadia with her cafe and he begins to reconnect with Sadia and her son Kareem. Now there is the complication that Jackson is Sadia's late husband's brother. But they have known each other since they were children. The hero is one of those that I would have to put in the "book boyfriend" column for sure. I love how truly honest and good this man is. He does tend to get into trouble with the law but only when trying to protect someone else. He always does it because he is caring and loving. He has been betrayed by his family in the worst way possible, but I like that it doesn't corrupt him on the inside. He does have a forgiving nature and is accepting of everyone and I just adored that. Seeing a hero that isn't selfish or unkind was so refreshing in this book. And he is so perfect with Sadia's son, its like they were meant to play and cook together. Kareem takes instantly to his Uncle Jackson, and those sweet moments that Jackson takes care of Kareem for Sadia is truly poignant.

Sadia is one of those heroines that is independent and self-reliant, even if she can be stubborn at times. What I truly admired about her was how comfortable she was in her own skin. She didn't have the perfect body or anything, but she was confident in who she was and not ashamed of it and very well at ease in her own sexuality and femininity. Boy, did I just love that about her. She, of course, is dealing with her own life trials of course, and family drama but she is such a great mother and not shy at all. But she does have some vulnerabilities that really are so human and I just love the way she deals with them and how her family helps her when she needs them the most.
You're our moral compass and our organizational whiz and our heart, Sadia. If you're looking for what you're truly good at, that's what a great example right there of your success.
I would say in this relationship, both Jackson and Sadia share roles of the "pants" in the relationship. Like honestly, it went back and forth between both of them that you see how well intune they balance each other's flaws and virtues.  Their relationship is far from perfect and they do have to deal with the issues of the past and rediscovering the feelings they once had and exploring the passion they feel for each other. This story had a unique feel to it that feel awe-inspiring and I wanted to see what would truly bring them together. But little by little they build a foundation together without ever realizing that they are even doing it. Its a slow burn romance but its one that steals your breath and catches you unaware even when you are expecting it.
My dream is for you to let me love you. And maybe, someday, you can love me back. You don't have to love me a lot. A little love is enough."
"You want a relationship."
"I don't care what yu call it. I want to fall asleep with you. I want to have a family. I want to travel with you all over the world and then come back to our home. I used to walk away from the hard stuff, but I figured, maybe this one time, I could try fighting for it. And I would fight.
Overall I found Wrong To Need You a sexy and addicting romance that held my attention from beginning to end....a love tale of heartbreak, loss to desire, connection and the test of true love against all odds.....Alisha Rai pens a powerfully woven story that tugs at your heartstrings!!

 



 



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Profile Image for h o l l i s .
2,557 reviews2,168 followers
January 25, 2018
Ex-sister-in-law? Former sister-in-law? What did you call your brother's widow? Off-limits.

Yeah, that's right. It's the brother's ex-wife/widow trope. I'm not going to lie; I was a little worried about this one because it hasn't worked well for me in the past. But Rai has once again blown me away with how she's able to take these familiar romantic concepts and make them delicious, realistic, and seriously addictive.

He'd lied to himself. He hadn't traded his heart in for a black-and-white model, he'd just unplugged the cord. Coming back home had plugged it back in, and now each colour was flickering alive one by one.

Like Livvy from book one, her twin brother Jackson has been gone from home ten years. Unlike Livvy, Jackson has had almost zero contact with any of his friends or family during that entire time. There were a few emails to his sister here and there, mostly to update her on where in the world he was, but he's never answered a single email sent by the woman he's always loved. Who just happens to be his brother's wife.

"You always do what's right?"
"Lately, yes."
"I'd be the safest wrong thing you could do."

Jackson returns shortly after Livvy does, but for very different reasons, and has to confront many obstacles once he's back; not the least being why he never came home for his brother's funeral a year prior. He has to face being known as a felon in a town that believes the worst of him. He has to face an introduction with a six year old nephew he's never met. He has to face being stared at, having conversations, and be judged for his large intimidating size when he's shy and uncomfortable with social interactions. And he has to face Sadia and the hurt and anger she's harboured since he let her down by cutting and running and never acknowledging a single attempt to reach out.

"Just like a Chandler. Bossy as hell."
"Just like a Kane, giving me hell."
"I can't handle this foreplay."

I'll admit that my trepidation over the interplay and angst surrounding this trope was completely unwarranted. Similar to book one, Rai handles so many emotional and tough situations with grace and realistic drama only. The situations are tricky, the feels are powerful, but nothing is ever blown out of proportion. Except maybe the steam that was generated by my iPad during the latter half of this slowburn (another, woo!) because holy fuuuuuck guys, this was hot. I'm loving how this author is focusing more on the women's pleasure and tweaking her gender roles just a teensy bit. It's so much more fascinating than being inundated with the alphamales (not that there's anything wrong with them, but there's a time and a place, and it's nice to mix it up) that make up the majority of contemporary romance these days.

"What do you want from me?"
"I don't want anything from you. My dream is for you to let me love you. And maybe, someday, you can love me back. You don't have to love me a lot. A little love is enough."

While I totally loved so much of WRONG TO NEED YOU, I will admit that I did feel the ending was a little rushed -- we had a change in scenery at one point before everything resolved and I found that a little jarring. While I appreciated the gesture one character made to another I just didn't find that it flowed very well. And there was also an occasion or three where I stumbled across typos or editing mishaps which I also found present in book one (sorry, dudes, I just can't help but see this stuff). But I so appreciated this romance, not just the slowburn but the , and I so appreciated Jackson and every scene with Jackson and every mention of Jackson (can you tell I love Jackson). Additionally I loved the few reveals that had major impact on the other family members in this complicated saga of past harm and present attempts to make amends. But I also loved the unrelated Kane/Chandler family dynamics that took place during this read (I loved Sadia best when navigating through her relationships with her siblings), and all of the subtle but everyday mental health representation this author continues to include in her books.

The man was a gentle giant in the street and a freak in the sheets.

I'm so excited for book three and also so excited to see a bit of a change up in some of the direction of this series. We've been a little more focused on the Kane side of things, what with Livvy and Jackson having so many emotional traumas to work through from their pasts, and I'm so looking forward to seeing the Chandler perspective through Eve.

If Rai isn't already on your 'author to watch' or 'author to read immediately' list, what are you even doing with your life.

4.5 "once in a lifetime, or never again" stars
Profile Image for Fadwa (Word Wonders).
550 reviews3,704 followers
July 4, 2018
Full review originally posted on my blog: Word Wonders

CW: Anxiety, panic attack, passing mention of suicide.

Remember how excited I was about this book in my review of Hate to Want you? Yes? No? ANYWAY. I was super excited to get to it, so it’s only normal that I picked it up a short few days afterwards, and let me tell you, IT MADE ME FEEL ALL THE FEELS! Wrong to Need You was everything I hoped for, everything I wanted and even things I didn’t know I wanted, it just blew me away. I am honestly lacking words right now to describe how much I love it and how happy it made me. So without further do, here is an attempt at uttering words.

The writing is as good as in the first book, really enjoyable while not being over the top or lacking, perfectly balanced with the right amount of both emotions and steaminess. Here again the POVs were easy to tell apart because both MCs have 1/ very different voices (as it should be) and 2/ very different issues they’re dealing with so it’s almost impossible to confuse the two. One thing I cannot go without mentioning is THE FOOD DESCRIPTIONS, I am a sucker for books with food in them and here it was all about simple comfort food so it made me salivate, it made me hungry, and made me wish I had someone like Jackson in my life.

In this second installment of The Forbidden Hearts series, we follow Sadia who is Livvy’s best friend (from book one) and her brother, Jackson. Our two protagonists used to be best friends but haven’t spoken for a decade, since Jackson fled his small town. So this is not only an estranged best friends to lovers kind of story but it gets a little complicated when you throw in the fact that Sadia is Jackson’s brother’s widow AND that he’s been in love with her since they were kids. So feelings are naturally very… complicated.

Their attraction to each other is undeniable and immediate, from the second the lay eyes on each other after being separated for so long. And seeing them fight it and then give in to it just to fight it again and try to be okay with the fact that it’s there GAVE ME LIFE. Especially because of all the history, built up anger and resentment (mostly on Sadia’s side because her best friend ghosted her out of nowhere), especially because of all the feelings that come with the attraction. I loved how open they were about it with each other, how non of the conflict was because they kept things from each other.

I think I loved both characters almost equally (Sadia comes ahead though, barely) because I found parts of myself in both of them. Sadia is a pakistani single mother who’s attracted to both men and women, no label is ever used for her though. What I loved about her is that she was so assured in her sexuality, she knew what she wanted, what she needed and wasn’t afraid to ask for it and take it. She’s a strong, feisty, determined and HIGHLY organised woman, with anxiety and sometimes crippling panic attack and in that sense I related to her. Her symptoms were similar to mine almost to the dot. She does so much for her son, her family as well as work wise, she runs her late husband’s family café AND does bartending gigs.

Jackson is SUCH AN AWKWARD SOFT BEAR, I died a little. I am honestly a sucker for male characters that are intimidating in appearance but huge softies, even better if you add a little bit of awkwardness. He’s an introvert and shies away from social settings, especially when strangers are involved. He doesn’t talk much, minds his own business and keeps a low profile (for reasons). He also reads slightly touch-averse, again the word is never used but here again I saw myself almost exactly in him, only comfortable with a few people’s touch and even then, not ALL the time. I loved how he just softened and completely melted around Kareem, giving the little boy so much love and attention. Speaking of which, Kareem is the most adorable boy I read about, he’s so cute and caring and loving. AHH.

Wrong to Need You gave the family relationships even more emphasis than Hate to Want You. Sadia and her sisters are so tight-knitted, their relationship is far from being perfect but it feels so authentic, they make mistake, hurt each other sometimes, but at the end of the day, are always there for each other when it’s needed. We see less of their parents but the little we see is cute and shows how much they care about them. Jackson’s relationship with his family is more strained, besides his sister, with whom the banter is priceless (I LOVED the bickering) and his aunt who loved him unconditionally, the rest is complicated, but I loved seeing those progress as well.

Towards the end of the book, we get to see a glimpse of Livvy and Nicholas and I loved how nothing was suddenly perfect and how they were still working through things while moving forward. PLUS THEY’RE SO CUTE. The third book, Hurts to Love You, came out only a few days ago (at the time this review goes up) and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
Profile Image for Al *the semi serial series skipper*.
1,659 reviews760 followers
January 18, 2018
I liked this one but not as much as I did the first book due to the fact that this one more/less went in the same direction as book one.I did like shy Jackson and domineering Saidi ( especially in the bedroom) . I really wish the author might do something with Brendan and Tani especially since John wanted them to be together, it would be nice if they fixed their differences and became a couple.
Profile Image for Sue.
781 reviews1,576 followers
October 10, 2017
I’ve reread Hate to Want You so many times, it’s easy to say it’s one of my favorite books ever. I’m really happy that my reaction to Wrong to Need You is basically the same. I didn’t think that would be possible.

The second book in the Forbidden Hearts is slightly different than the first. It’s still about the Kanes and Chandlers with their complicated history and knitted clans; however there’s new elements too. For once, Sadia’s vibrant family have been formally introduced.

Now to the romance, fuck. *clenches fist* It was that good. It’s very difficult to write a romance about your deceased’s brother’s widow x former bestfriend. I have to admit it, most books with this romance is waaaaaay cliche and cringe worthy. It’s in the execution. I love how Alisha Rai didn’t made the ex-husband this Super Bad Ex-Husband trope. In most books, the heroine always HAD this toxic or abusive previous marriage. I’m not trying to diminish the importance of those narratives, but it’s always nice to see where previous relationship weren’t portrayed as volatile. This is one of the things I love about the story.
OF COURSE, there’s amazing sex, tension, and reconnection.

SEEING NICHOLAS AND LIVVY MADE ME UNDONE

A+ to Sadia being bisexual. It’s what we deserve.

Overall: this is very rambly and I know it doesnt make sense. Full review to come.
Profile Image for Bookphenomena (Micky) .
2,593 reviews518 followers
January 25, 2018
I didn’t think it was going to be quite 5 stars for WRONG TO NEED YOU but the culmination and the attached emotions just clinched this well deserved rating for what was another fantastic read from Alisha Rai.

WRONG TO NEED YOU was a slower burn than book one and felt different. I loved whilst this was written with the same two warring families, that it wasn’t same-y at all. I didn’t think Nicholas and Livvy could be topped as a couple, but I was even more captivated by Jackson and Samira. These characters have so much development. I loved that Samira was strong, sexual and knew her own needs. I wanted to know a bit more about the bi side of her. Jackson’s closed off nature and character evolution was everything. Kareem was a sweet bit of sunshine.

The dialogue, text, email, verbal grabbed my interest completely. The story both as an individual book and the ongoing series story will continue to keep me coming back for more.

I can’t think of one book friend who reads romance who wouldn’t like this series, so get on this.
Profile Image for nick (the infinite limits of love).
2,120 reviews1,519 followers
December 4, 2017

Words can’t describe how much Alisha Rai’s Forbidden Hearts series means to me. I fell in love with her writing and her characters in Hate to Want You, and in Wrong To Need You, that love just amplified. I could tell that this was just the beginning of my obsession with everything and anything Alisha Rai books. Of course, going into Wrong to Need You after LOVING Hate to Want You was a bit daunting. There’s always the chance that the sequel doesn’t hold the same magic as its predecessor, but there was no reasoning for my concerns here. Wrong to Need You is an absolutely breath-taking slow-burn romance between two people who fit together like a lock and key. It’s passionate, luscious and sexy as hell.

Alisha writes heroines that are simultaneously strong and vulnerable, a combination that you can find in any woman. I loved Livvy in Hate to Want You, but Sadia Ahmed absolutely 100% rules my heart. What a beautiful character she was! A young widowed mother, life certainly wasn’t easy for her, but she works hard, she pushes herself all so that she can give her son a better life. Sadia is honestly one of my favorite characters of all time. Alisha writes her emotions, her struggles, her hopes and passion so beautifully. It was brilliant seeing a character that undeniably struggled with her mental health, and it was very tactfully written too, which I appreciated. Then, there was Jackson, Livvy’s brother from Hate to Want You. I was intrigued by the man from the very minute we were introduced to him, and being inside his head was an exhilarating experience. This was a guy who was shrouded in so many mysterious layers, but underneath all that darkness he surrounded himself in was a really soft and sweet guy. He was just the perfect hero for this story, and the perfect companion for Sadia.

Jackson comes back into Sadia’s life after years of no communication, and she is understandably upset, but has no choice but to accept his help in running the family cafe. There are hints to their past friendship/potential romance peppered throughout the story that had me glued to the pages. It’s hard to get a romance between a woman and her dead husband’s brother, but I had complete faith that the author would handle it brilliantly. I was right. I loved how subtly the romance between Jackson and Sadia grew. It was intense, and sexy, and oh my goodness, I could not wait to take their chemistry to the sheets. I loved how Sadia was the one who was mostly in control of their relationship, and I especially loved how Jackson made her and her feelings his priority.

Besides the deliciously swoony romance, I loved all the family dynamics in Wrong to Need You. Sadia comes from a Muslim-American family, where a lot of value is placed on education, and reputation. Sadia is a bit of a black-sheep when it comes to her family, with her choosing to marry at a young age. And even though she didn’t live up to her family’s expectations of her, they still love and care for her deeply, helping her raise her son, Kareem. I especially loved how different all of her sisters were, and how much of a role they played here. We also have Jackson’s family, with all their secrets and drama. They are messy, complicated and beautiful. It was also really great to get glimpses of Livvy and Nicholas. These two, man. They still kill me with all the feels!

Honestly, The Forbidden Hearts series is exactly why I love romance. They are so many incredible romances out there, but please make sure that this series is on your radar. Not only does it feature diversity, but it has all these fantastic elements to it that make it one of those series that you’ll find yourself re-reading over and over again.
Profile Image for Amanda.
574 reviews62 followers
January 14, 2018
1/14/18 update: Reread this for Politics & Prose Romance Book Club. Definitely held up on a second read. Still solid 5 stars from me!

***

I enjoyed this book even more than the first one, and I'm going to explain why.

I really loved the first book, but it has some flaws that I probably would've dropped the rating for if a less talented author had written it. Hate to Want You felt like an epic--feuding families, star-crossed lovers, a secret affair--and there was so much to set up that I felt like I needed a chart to track how everyone was related to each other. Sometimes I felt like the family drama and history overshadowed the romance between Nicholas and Livvy. But despite that, Rai was able to create a compelling story for me in how the protagonists related not only to each other but to their estranged family members.

This book flowed much better for me because there wasn't as much time devoted to setting up the family history. While this book can probably be read as a standalone, I think it works best as the second book of a larger narrative arc within this series. Going into this, I already knew Sadia and Jackson had been best friends growing up--along with Jackson's twin sister, Livvy--and that Jackson had been acquitted of arson before mysteriously disappearing and falling out of touch with his family for a decade. Sadia, the widow of Jackson's older brother, Paul--another layer to their relationship--faithfully emailed him for years without getting any responses. When Jackson didn't come home for the birth of his nephew, she was incredibly hurt. When he didn't return for Paul's funeral (which was briefly explained in the previous book, but more detail is provided in this one), she was furious. And when Sadia finds out (in the last book) that Jackson had shown up in town and seen Livvy without contacting her, she's basically done holding out any hope that they can ever repair their friendship.

Family plays a huge role in this book, but in a different way than in the first book. Jackson's family is still very much present, but we also get to meet Sadia's family. She's the middle child of five sisters and feels like the black sheep because she never finished college and instead eloped with Paul when they were quite young. Sadia only started reconciling with her parents after her son, Kareem, was born, but her relationship with her parents has never quite gotten back to what it used to be. She's close to her younger twin sisters and they help a lot with childcare, but she feels like a failure compared to her very successful older sisters.

The epic falling out between the Kanes and Chandlers is still talked about in this book but it's not front and center. Rather, Jackson still very much distrusts Nicholas for breaking Livvy's heart a decade ago and the arson Jackson was suspected of still haunts him to this day, and most people in town still think he was guilty even though he was released from jail. Sadia never felt as strongly about the rivalry with the Chandler family as Paul did, not being raised a Kane, and since his death, she can't bring herself to care much at all. She just wants to raise her son and keep their cafe afloat despite debts piling up and Sadia's increasing awareness that she has no desire to be a small business owner.

This book opens shortly after the events of the previous book. Sadia has just gotten Livvy back into her life, but she's not happy that she found out about Livvy and Nicholas's relationship when everyone else did. People are constantly plaguing her with questions about them and Sadia is irritated by their nosiness but also frustrated that she can't answer these questions about where they ran off to even if she wanted to. So when Jackson appears at the bar where she picks up some extra shifts, Sadia is not in the frame of mind to welcome him back into her life with open arms.

Jackson realizes her cafe needs a chef and decides to stick around until he has to start his next gig as the anonymous chef for a very popular and successful "pop-up restaurant" business he's established for himself. No one even knows what Jackson has been doing since he left his hometown, and I half expected him to be involved in something shady. Instead, he's spent a decade traveling the world as a chef with a close-knit team.

Jackson hates drawing attention to himself, and he knows he's opening himself up to scrutiny as soon as people realize he's back in town, although he tries his best to not be seen. But he's willing to risk the gossip and spotlight for Sadia. We learn early on that Jackson has been in love with her since they were kids. Jackson was too shy to ask out Sadia and risk ruining their friendship, and then he missed his chance when she eventually started dating Paul. Jackson never admitted to anyone that he was in love with Sadia, but some of his family members suspected it, notably Paul. This turns out to be very significant.

Despite the presence of so many secondary characters, I felt like this book was able to explore the romance between our two protagonists. That is probably the main reason why I loved this book even more than the first one, not to mention the fact that it's just my kind of love story. Give me an estranged friends-to-lovers with decades of unrequited love any day of the week. Throw in the twist that Sadia is his brother's widow and I was basically salivating over the prospect of them getting together. This book is a bit of a slow burn and with great chemistry between Jackson and Sadia.

I'm always impressed by the way Rai writes flawed, complex women. Her heroines--at least in the books I've read--are all strong women, but never in a way that feels one-dimensional. There are different kinds of strength, and Rai is able to capture this and also show that strong women have many layers. She gives her heroines so much agency, and this includes room to make mistakes and be vulnerable. Sadia is another wonderful character. She's a mother and a widow and a business owner. She's very organized and her day is planned down to the minute. The only time she takes for herself are the occasional very brief sexual trysts with customers at the bar where she works.

Jackson may be the first hero in a book I've read by Rai that I've loved equally as much as the heroine. At first, I was concerned that he was just going to be this...moody, flat character. I was so wrong! Though it takes longer to understand Jackson, the truth is, he's very shy and introverted. Understanding this part of his nature explains a lot. He's not good expressing his feelings and he's not a very outwardly emotional or affectionate person, but actually he feels things very strongly--this includes love. Jackson is capable of loving people unconditionally and his patience with Sadia as she gets over her anger and hurt towards him was wonderful. He's also learning how much he's really missed having his family in his life and that he hurt a lot of people with his absence. He's taking steps to trust his family again and earn their trust in return that he's not going to disappear again. He's certainly the strong and silent type...a gentle giant. I absolutely loved him.

If you like your romance with a healthy amount of angst and a story that explores relationships without tying everything up with a bow--because real life isn't always like this-- this book will be right up your alley.
Profile Image for ❀FeezReads❀.
372 reviews38 followers
February 26, 2022

I totally loved the representation in this book. Our female Mc, Sadia is a Pakistani- American and our male Mc, Jackson is Japanese American. Just too powerful already😩. The only complain I had was that I felt like the writing needed more work. The heroine was lusting for the mc all the time which made it very unrealistic because at first she had no idea who he was and she already had thoughts.
Profile Image for Ari .
933 reviews303 followers
December 5, 2017
Original review: The New Romantics

*4.5 Stars!*


ALISHA RAI HAS DONE IT AGAIN!
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Full disclosure, I'm writing this review from beyond my grave because Alisha Rai has slayed my life to it's entirety with Wrong to Need You that I don't know how I can possibly go on living. Okay, okay, enough with my dramatics. Truth be told, I was a little hesitant to pick up this book. I'm not a big fan of romances where the hero/heroine falls in love with a relative of their decease partner, or as I like to call it the "keeping it within the family" trope. I tend to stay away from romances with these plot lines because they can sometimes be cheesy and predictable. But I think I may have spoken too soon because this book was anything but...

It's been over a year since Sadia Ahmed's husband passed and she still struggles to make it through the day. A single mom who was left with more than she can handle, Sadia tries to figure out her next step to provide a better life for her and her son. But when Jackson Kane returns to town, Sadia becomes even more confused as she tries to figure out her feelings for the best friend who walked out of her life without even saying goodbye. Emotions she hasn't felt in years start to rise and Jackson and Sadia will have to decide whether or not their relationship is worth risking.

Wrong to Need You is a story about overcoming loss and finding your way back to love. The fact that I had any doubts about this book in the first place should earn me a slap upside my head because I was worried for no reason at all. I thought the execution of the romance was well done. It's a slow-burning romance so there was no rush when it came to Sadia and Jackson getting together, which I thought was a good move considering the circumstances. There were a number of issues that these two had to work out, both with themselves and with each other, before they were ready to take that next step. I will say that I was not expecting Sadia to be the more dominate one in this relationship, but I am not complaining. I very much enjoyed this change since I don't often read romances with dominate female leads. My girl Sadia knows what she wants and has no problem with letting you know it.

I went into this book already having a lot of love for Sadia's character, but now I also have great amount of respect for her, too. Sadia is a single mom who has a lot on her plate. She still hasn't quite dealt with Paul's death as she still blames herself for it. Once again, Rai does an amazing job at tackling mental health as we see Sadia struggling with anxiety and depression and coming to terms with the fact that it's okay to not be perfect. I think her flaws are what I love most about her because they make her so relatable. I also loved Sadia's relationship with her sisters. They can be a little overwhelming at first, but they are very supportive of one another, even if they don't always agree. And let's not forget the cutest little boy ever, Kareem! Kareem was such an added joy to this story and you can't help but love all the scenes with him.

Jackson surprised me in more ways than one. He is very shy and I found that to be a refreshing trait when it comes to heroes in romances because I honestly can't remember the last time I read about a shy hero. He may be a man of little words, but his actions speak loud enough for him. He may have felt like an outsider for most of his life, but he finally found where he belongs...with Sadia. Jackson and Kareem's relationship was so adorable! These two would bake together, like it doesn't get any better than that.

Wrong to Need You was an absolute treat and I can't help but want more of Jackson and Sadia. No joke, I really do want more. I keep trying to turn to the next page in my eReader, hoping that this love story will continue and I find nothing! If you haven't picked up the Forbidden Hearts series, you are not living your best life so I suggest you go change that immediately...and make sure you have tissues on deck because you will need them!
Profile Image for Talia Hibbert.
Author 30 books31.8k followers
January 2, 2018
To the surprise of absolutely no-one, this book is a beautifully-crafted romance filled with achingly real characters, high-stakes emotional conflicts and relationships we actually care about. Not just the central, romantic relationship, but the links between every damn character in this world. Wow. Damn. Thank you yet again, Alisha Rai!

If you like sweetheart heroes with an edge and forbidden love, you'll love this book!
Profile Image for Mandi.
2,310 reviews725 followers
November 29, 2017
Sadia pressed her hand over her heart, hating the swirl of emotion in there.

I think I did the same thing, while reading this book, Sadia. Alisa Rai has definitely tuned into the angsty market. If you like forbidden love, some guilt thrown in and overall fretting about choices you have made in your life, this is the book for you.

Blurb: He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with his brother’s widow…

Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Jackson Kane fled his home, his name, and his family. Ten years later, he’s come back to town: older, wiser, richer, tougher—and still helpless to turn away the one woman he could never stop loving, even after she married his brother.

Sadia Ahmed can’t deal with the feelings her mysterious former brother-in-law stirs, but she also can’t turn down his offer of help with the cafe she’s inherited. While he heats up her kitchen, she slowly discovers that the boy she adored has grown into a man she’s simply unable to resist.

An affair is unthinkable, but their desire is undeniable. As secrets and lies are stripped away, Sadia and Jackson must decide if they’re strong enough to face the past…and step into a future together.


If you read book one, Hate to Want You, this book has a similar feel. We revisit the same family drama and the overall tone is very much the same. I wouldn’t call them dark �� but maybe complex? And not to use angst again – but a lot of angst. They read well as stand alones, although there is a family connection between the characters. And for some reason I have a hard time keeping the in-laws and grandparents straight…but maybe that’s just me.

Sadia’s husband died and she is working two jobs and raising their young son. She has a lot of help from her sisters and has moved past the grief stage. Her husband and her were basically staying married just for their son, so he wasn’t the love of her life. When she sees a very sexy man sitting in the bar she tends, she makes him a special drink and uses all her charm and flirtation as she walks over to him.

As she grew closer to the man in the booth, he shifted, his arms bunching and releasing. On another guy, she might suspect that he’d bought his red Henley a size too small. On him, she wondered if he could even find a size that fit him. Getting dressed was probably a daily battle of him versus fabric.

That was a battle she would pay to see.


She gets the shock of her life when he lifts his head and it’s her former lover, Jackson. AKA brother of her deceased husband. AKA the man she loved with all her heart as a teenager. AKA OMG.

There is a lot of dark, and deep family drama with Sadia, Jackson, her late husband and other sisters and parents. Bad things happened, feelings were hurt, relationships became estranged. If you read book one, you know all about it. If you haven’t, you learn again in this one. It’s a lot to get into so I’m just leaving it as general drama. Jackson got blamed for something bad, left town and has been traveling ever since, setting up pop-up kitchens and showing off his chef skills around the world. When he left, Sadia started writing him emails…almost like a diary or a daily journal – and Jackson never responded. But he read every word. It takes events that happen in book one, to finally bring Jackson home.

“Why don’t I calm down? Because what’s there to be upset by? You only disappeared from the face of the earth for ten years. Ignored every single e-mail I sent you. Ignored your nephew’s birth, your sister and mother’s pain, your own brother’s funeral.”

[…] She wasn’t saying anything but the truth. Only a monster would have ignored every word she’d written to him over the past decade. Only the most uncaring of people wouldn’t have at least called her when her husband – his brother – had died.

That’s what he was, what he’d aspired to be. Alive, but unfeeling. His heart beat, his blood pounded, his organs functioned. That was it. That was enough.


Do you feel the pain?? Do you feel the ANGST??

He offers to help Sadia out in the cafe she owns, and he stays in her spare room above her garage. He gets to know her son. He rekindles the flame they had when they were younger. And they move past the guilt, and the bad memories and all the reasons they shouldn’t be together – and start a passionate relationship they can’t deny.

He bit at her lips, pulled them deep. He felt like a kid jumping from couch cushion to couch cushion, unable to touch the floor. If he touched the floor, lava would get him. If he stopped kissing her, he’s start thinking. Or she’d start thinking. Either way, they’d both stop feeling.

He never wanted to stop feeling this, not in a million years. He’d waited so long for it. His whole life, or so it felt. He stroked his thumb over the arch of her throat.

It takes time for Sadia to come to terms with Jackson back in her life. It’s not necessarily guilt that he is her late husband’s brother, but the fact Jackson abandoned her during so many of her major life events. Will he leave again? Does she let her son get close to him? What about the secrets and blame that he his holding onto from his past? Alisha Rai doesn’t rush their relationship. It slowly unfolds and builds up as she learns to trust him.

There is a lot of lovely family time too – and even the young son is written well for his age.

If you liked book one, you will definitely like this one too. Next up is Eve (sister of Nick from book one) and Gabe (the housekeeper’s son growing up)….I’m ready!

Grade: B+
Profile Image for Katy O..
2,498 reviews715 followers
April 16, 2019
I thought I loved book 1 in this series, but I'm now so torn between which one I love more! Both are AMAZING and super steamy. So happy they are on Scribd as audiobooks!
Profile Image for Maida.
Author 15 books459 followers
October 26, 2017
Four angst-filled stars. Edgy, multicultural romance (she's Pakistani-American, he's Japanese-Hawaiian) between a widowed single mom and her husband's younger brother, who also happens to be her former best friend.

Wrong to Need You, Book 2 of Alisha Rai's Forbidden Hearts series is a great follow-up to Hate to Want You. Note to readers: it's better to read the first book before this because Wrong is a continuation of the events in Hate and most of the characters and conflicts were introduced there.

I love the diverse characters. They're super underrepresented in romance and their depiction here reflects the reality of our world today. I really like the inside look into a foreign culture. The reader would realize some universal truths, that we are not so different after all. Family IS everything and we're all always conscious and afraid of what other people will think of our actions.

Sadia and Jackson are well-developed characters. Ms. Rai fleshed them out so vividly that you will have a picture of them in your head, as if they're real people. Actually, you can say that of everyone in this book and the previous one. I love the heat between them. They are both lusty and a little bit dirty. Okay, maybe a lot dirty.

I love that problems are faced and addressed. That nobody runs away or makes a decision without consulting the other person involved. I really like the injection of humor, especially when Sadia and Livvy were talking about the Kane brothers. I adore Kareem, Sadia's little boy. Lastly, I just love the cover. Love it.

The reason I did not give Wrong five stars is that it's too much. There are too many named characters - the Ahmeds, Kanes, Chandlers, cafe and bar employees, etc. There are too many sub-plots, it's exhausting. Sadia is too alternative- she's bi, she's the family screw-up, she likes to troll for hook-ups in the bar, etc., etc. Jackson is too wronged, too forgiving, too soft-hearted, too damn perfect.

Overall, a wonderfully-involving read.

Note: I requested and received this ARC from Edelweiss. Thanks.
Profile Image for Kristen.
2,183 reviews24 followers
July 24, 2018
ohmagerd.

i was so so there for this book.

i am not one for taboo or forbidden books, just doesn't float my boat. when i was reading book 1 and you get to know the characters and realise who book 2 will be about, i kinda went ugh dead ex and his brother that's a lot of tropes i don't want to go anywhere near. and normally, i stay away from any kind of siblings-passing-around because yeah, just doesn't float my boat. i've read one where the guy and sister dated when they were teenagers and then the guy and main girl get together as adults, that's okay. but anyway. so dead ex + former brother-in-law, i was a teeny but worried, but after thoroughly enjoying book 1, i was confident that this one would be a hit.

and you know what, it obviously was. i loved it. i love how diverse and genuine the characters are, with actual flaws and personalities that make them seem so real. i loved sadia and ugh i want a jackson of my very own. i will say, it was building up a lot of tension and i was so so eager to find out what would happen and where it would go, it kinda fell a wee bit flat towards the end. like the book was speeding along (even though it's slow paced) and then kind of fizzled out. i don't know how to explain it.

i loved jackson and sadia together. i loved their dynamic. i loved how the author sorted out the whole dead ex/brother thing. i loved how sadia took the lead and jackson let her, but he didn't come across as weak or whatever. it was just so different to (what seems like) every other romance book out there and it was just such an enjoyable reading experience and i can't wait to get to book 3.

i am honestly gobsmacked that this series is not more popular. it's funny, well written, diverse characters, sexy AF and just YES.
Profile Image for ambsreads.
656 reviews1,653 followers
August 16, 2018
Trigger Warnings: graphic panic attacks, mentions of violence, mentions of jail, grief, partner separation, subtle biphobia

MY REVIEW FOR WRONG TO NEED YOU WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON MY BLOG

Wrong To Need You by Alisha Rai was amazing. I’m sure no one is shocked that I loved it almost as much as I loved the first book in this series. The dynamics between characters and just the overall chemistry that Alisha Rai has the talent of writing blow you out of the park. I think this book may actually be my favourite in the series – something I wasn’t expecting. I said in my review for Hate To Want You that I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about second chance romances since I’m not usually a fan. I guess it goes without saying that I was a bit iffy on the premise of Wrong To Need You – a widowers ex-brother in law and her fall in love. I’m not sure why I was so nervous. It really seems as if Alisha Rai can make me love anything, which is the sigh of an amazing author, obviously.

This book follows Jackson and Sadia. The pair had been best friends going up but once Sadia had started dating Jackson’s older brother Paul things started to get distant between the pair. Not only that but after Jackson was accused of a crime he fled from town and hasn’t spoken to anyone since. During this time Sadia had a son and Paul died. It is definitely not all rainbows for her as she struggles to keep her head above water owning a business she doesn’t want. Jackson turns up in town just at the right time. However, with so much distance between them and a secret Jackson doesn’t want to share, can the two really connect once more?

The answer is obvious, this is a romance book. Let me tell you as well, this book is hot. I can’t even put into words how great the sexual chemistry between Jackson and Sadia is.

Okay, so what did I like about Wrong To Need You? First up we have a bisexual female lead. I know, amazing. Sadia talks about her sexual experiences with both female and males and is 100% not afraid to talk about it. She is super open about it, and despite the fact, there is some mild biphobia from her mother (hence why I added the trigger warning).

I think the other standout feature of this book to me was that Jackson was a chef. I am a pretty big foodie and if you come to my house you have a 98% chance of finding Food Network playing. Hell, the week that I’m writing this review I’m meeting the Masterchef Australia judges – which will have already happened by the time this was published. Basically, any inclusion of food in a romance novel and I swoon. Not only that but Jackson was so good with his nephew, Sadia’s son, that my little heart couldn’t take it. They built a fucking fort and make cookies.

I honestly just can’t deal with these books. My heart is dying. Alisha Rai has the ability to write such imperfect and real characters. She doesn’t write them for the sake of angst or drama. They are simply written as though they are people you may find in your everyday lives. Obviously, there has to be an element of drama but the varying personalities of both Sadia and Jackson were so perfect written together that I was speechless (a common theme with these books it seems).

Actually, my favourite thing about this book was how realistic the panic attack that Sadia has at one point. It is incredibly graphic so I urge caution. However, it was so well written and made me think back to my own panic attacks. I have to credit the author with the talent in which she wrote the attack.

I have two teeny tiny complaints about this book, and honestly, they’re not that big and really just me trying to find something to complain about. I wish that we had gotten more Kareem time on page. I loved that Sadia was killing it as a single widowed mother with the support of her family but I would have loved to see her interacting with her son more. My other complaint is that I wanted to read more about Jia, Sadia’s sister who was taking an unconventional path that her family may not support. Obviously, neither Jia or Kareem are technically main characters in this story so it makes sense why their stories didn’t get included as much but still, I wanted to have a little complain about it.

Overall, I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to rip my hair out while reading this book. It was honestly one of the sexiest books I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time. It is also a book that battles some tough topics, like separation and grief, but does so in a way that is so flawlessly done. I truly admire Alisha Rai and her words. She is a damn talented author.
Profile Image for Anete.
485 reviews69 followers
March 18, 2019
4/5 Sērijas turpinājums man tīk mazāk, bet samudžinātās ģimeņu attiecības un konfliktu risinājumi joprojām saista. Tik daudz kultūras kopā - havajiešu, pakistāņu, japāņu un, protams amerikāņu, visu šo etnisko sakņu maisījums un sarežģītie vēsturiskie notikumi rada vienu jestru kokteilīti.

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Profile Image for Bri.
Author 1 book205 followers
Read
March 2, 2023
Living/sobbing over the childhood friends to lovers Domme/sub excellence!! Ms. Rai did that. Jackson is the simp and surrogate dad we all deserve!
I just wish there were more spicy scenes. I didn’t really care about all the family stuff, probably because I started with this book. Now I gotta read the other two…
Profile Image for Lacey (laceybooklovers).
2,132 reviews11.7k followers
November 12, 2017
A sweet, slow burn romance between a widowed single mother and her former brother-in-law! I'm seriously enjoying this series so much. Review to come!

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.
Profile Image for CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian.
1,204 reviews1,643 followers
January 13, 2018
Tbh, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first in the series, which is a bit disappointing since it has a bi heroine that I was excited about, but I still really liked it! There was just something about their dynamic that didn't 100% jive for me, even though I really liked them both individually. Falling in love with your sibling's widow/er seems to be a common romance trope, but I thought this book did a great job of actually tackling it realistically, while also lovingly fleshing out both of the characters. There's more great family dynamics stuff in here too, especially Sadia's. Plus: both heroine/hero are POC!
Profile Image for Liber_Lady.
423 reviews111 followers
February 11, 2021
4.5 Stars

Rep: Pakistani-American heroine, Half Japanese-Half Hawaiin hero

Delightful story. A must listen if you love:

- Forbidden romance (brother's widow)
- Single parent romance
- A very sexy take charge heroine in the bedroom
- A hero who has always been in love with the heroine (unrequited love at its finest)
- Family related overarching plot
- Insanely hot steamy scenes...!!! Like INSANELY HOTTTT!!!!!

Highly recommend

PS: The male narrator doing the female dialogue was cringe.
Profile Image for Renae.
1,022 reviews318 followers
July 27, 2020
I feel like maybe this book is even better than the first, and considering how much I enjoyed Hate to Want You...that’s saying something. Alisha Rai is a phenomenal author, and the fact that I really enjoy her books even though she tends to write stories that wouldn’t typically be at the top of my stack...it’s impressive. This second installment in her Forbidden Hearts trilogy is a bit different from the first, but it shows that Rai can do many things. (Side note: probably don’t read this series out of order.)

Wrong to Need You is a friends-to-lovers romance featuring a sexy bisexual Pakistani bartender widow/single-mom and her dead husband’s Japanese/Hawaiian, super-introverted and super-muscly younger brother, AKA her best friend since childhood.

Does this sound interesting to you yet? Because it should.

Based on my grand total of two books read by the author, I can tell you that Alisha Rai excels at dysfunctional-yet-loving families, mental health realness, and sexy sex. Wrong to Need You attacks each of these issues from a new angle, but those aspects remained constant. Which I loved! I may not be into forbidden sibling romances, but I am into family dynamics and honest discussions of depression and good ole sexytimes.

I think, also, that what I liked a lot of about this book is how contained the romance and the couple were. Obviously, the town is full of gossip and a feud of Romeo and Juliet proportions. There could easily have been a lot of drama going down (as there was in the first book), but Jackson and Sadia were more isolated, as characters, than Nicholas and Livvy were, and I felt like that allowed the book to breathe more, and to focus more on their developing feelings. I would characterize this as more of a slow burn romance, as Sadia and Jackson have some obstacles to overcome as friends before the story can even go towards them becoming lovers. The gradual, smoldery pacing worked really well for me here.

Another thing I enjoyed was that Rai introduced us to another family (aside from the Montagues and Capulets—I mean Chandlers and Kanes). Sadia’s very large Pakistani-American family was great. At lot of the scenes were uncomfortable, since Sadia is sort of the disappointment of the family; she’s the only one of five daughters not to attend medical school. There was a fair amount of trauma underlying those feelings of disappointment and failure, and I loved that Rai brought that into Wrong to Need You.

Obviously, at some level, I’m almost always reading a romance novel for the heroine’s personal journey, separate from the hero. And I’m happy to report that Sadia’s journey in this book was wonderful and fulfilling and satisfying at every level. Watching Sadia, who’s struggled so hard to be the perfect wife, mother, business owner, daughter, find out who she is apart from those roles was A+ excellent. And Jackson was there, supporting her even as he sorted through his own personal traumas (hooooo-boy does Jackson have some issues, my friends).

Wrong to Need You was sweet, tender, honest, difficult, and rewarding. Alisha Rai has managed to once again balance a wonderful love story atop a wobbling tower of “real life” crises, and the end result is a full, balanced story of two people finding love and maybe-forever happiness together.

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