Bella Matthews Haven Review!

Haven

By: Bella Matthews

Release Date: October 5 2023

Publisher: Bella Matthews

Author Website: https://www.authorbellamatthews.com/

4 Stars

Bella Matthews ends her Defiant Kings series with a memorable finale and no shortage of angst and heartache in Haven!

When upcoming football star Brandon and Olympic ice-skating hopeful Ashlyn meet at a college party they both felt a connection that they knew was not ordinary. Brandon carried the weight of his tragic childhood on his shoulders, not trusting easily or letting people close. It was his loyalty and dedication to those he loved that set him apart as a good person. Ashlyn carried secrets and a dark past with few friends and little resources to fall back on. Her kind heart and determination were admirable and gave her a quiet strength.

This couple's capacity for love was as immense as their hesitancy to trust and let people get close to them. When Brandon and Ashlyn were reunited after 15 years of loving each other at a distance it was no surprise to see the intensity of their passion for each other. This was not a romance that needed nurturing as it had been brewing for years. Their sweet and spicy interactions kept the pages lively and a well-established secondary cast added a wonderful layer to this story. An intriguing suspense component took this story to the next level and made for an interesting and unexpected revelation!

Bella Matthews does a great job of joining her characters in comradery and loyalty. Her ability to offset serious moments with humor without undermining the issue at hand stands out as a real skill. Bella Matthews' Haven was a lovely way to say goodbye to a beloved series and usher her next generation of characters in!

*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.*

*This book is part of expansive interconnected series and while it can be read as a stand alone, reading the previous books in these series would enhance the overall reading experience.*