Forbidden Realm by Diana Cosby

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Forbidden #5

Release Date: April 14, 2020

When Sir Ronan O’Connor and Lady Lathir McConaghy meet for the first time – it is certainly not love at first sight. Ronan mistakes her for the wife of his former Knight Templar brethren, Stephan, Earl of Dunsmore, but soon learns that Lathir is nothing like Katherine. Lathir takes him down and proves that she is more than capable of protecting herself.

Ronan is in Scotland to meet King Robert and has been tasked with returning to Ireland with Lathir’s father, Lord Sionn and returning with weapons for the Scots king. They are not thrilled to learn that they will be traveling together – but when the ship is attacked and Lord Sionn is abducted – they will work together to first survive and then save her father.

Neither is looking for love, Ronan believes a family is not for him, raised by an abusive man when he was orphaned, he ran away and never planned to return to Ireland and when Lathir lost her betrothed two years ago, she never expected to find another man that captured her interest. But circumstances force them to rely on each other and they form a friendship that leads to the love of a lifetime.

This was a well written, fast-paced story with strong lead characters, secrets, heartache, sea battles, abductions, surprises, sacrifices, mild love scenes, a heartwarming secondary romance and a HEA that seemed impossible until it wasn’t. This is the fifth book in the Forbidden series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title. While not as steamy as I usually like, I enjoyed the story and happily recommend to medieval fans.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*