If you do a social media survey of which current romance authors write the hottest sex scenes, there's a more than reasonable likelihood that Naima Simone will be on that list. Her tales run the gamut from suspenseful, to emotional, to fun and flirty but never fail to entertain. With her entries in the Sweetest Taboo series, she skirts the line of forbidden romance in steamy, thought-provoking stories. Passion and Ink stars a couple bonded by family who must carve out their own happy ending, no matter the consequences.

Cypress 'Ro' Winters doesn't belong in a dead end bartending job but since she moved back home after quitting her previous high paying position due to systemic sexual harassment, it's her current life. Well, that, and taking care of her mother who is still recovering from a heart attack and surgery, not to mention a broken heart. So when an anonymous stranger, a devilishly handsome man tempts her into a no holds barred one night stand, she's ready and willing. One night, no last names, no future.

Jude Gordon can't forget Ro and their night together. But it turns out he might have to when his stepfather's daughter, a woman he hasn't seen for ten years since they were both teenagers who has moved back from L.A., comes over for dinner – and it's Ro. It's too late to prevent them from sleeping together, and even knowing they are step-siblings can't stop their attraction to each other. But Cypress's father Dan can see that something is between them and he won't have it. He's promised to pay his ex-wife's medical bills but he'll cut off all funds if he suspects Jude and Cypress of behaving 'inappropriately', not to mention how the rest of their families will react to them being together. Will Cypress and Jude find their happy ending comes with too steep a price?

The way the story starts quickly sets the tone to show Cypress's struggle to get through another day. It's no wonder that the appearance of Jude and his interest in her is a much needed escape, even if only temporarily. Jude has expectations of clear consent in all their interactions which gives Cypress a measure of control that she's been missing, and the chance to experience a night of steamy sex on her terms. Finding out he's her stepbrother (yes, a bit hard to believe they didn't recognize each other at all) and her father's ultimatum to keep away dampens her lust, but not enough to kill it, especially when she ends up needing a place to stay and Jude's house happens to have several empty bedrooms. Suffice it to say that a large portion of the story is made up of passionate sexy scenes cementing their growing feelings for each other.

But there is more to the story than that. One of the key themes is relationship breakdowns and the obsession that can result. Cypress's mother never got over her husband Dan leaving for another woman (Jude's mother) and Cypress was left to pick up the pieces as a young teenager. Her mother would take any overture in her direction, even a phone call as a sign to hope he might come back to her, to the point where Cypress chose to cut her father out of her life rather than watch her mother go through the emotional turmoil every time he wouldn't come back 'home'. Even now Cypress would prefer to have nothing to do with her father but she needs the money for her mother's bills. Keeping her contact with him a secret is vital, as is hiding her relationship with Jude which could set her mother on a relapse.

There is also an ex-girlfriend of Jude's who is stalking him, convinced that he'll come back to her. She makes scenes in public places and threatens suicide. This is particularly painful for Jude, as his mother had attempted suicide when he was younger and he'd been the one to find her, get her help, and keep the episode secret. He suffers from PTSD as a result, with panic attacks that occasionally overwhelm him. He is also dealing with the death of his younger brother and the estrangement of his older brother Knox from the family due to his relationship with the widow of his dead brother (their story is in Sin and Ink). That's a lot of stress and he'd planned an overseas trip that is fast approaching, making his growing feelings for Cypress an added complication.

Clearly there's a lot of emotion and angst in this story but the author does a great job of having the characters work through their issues and find compromises and strength to deal with their family members, standing up for themselves and their right to be together. Insta-lust eventually turns into real love and commitment. If you like erotic romances that delve equally into emotional entanglements as well as the bedsheets, Naima Simone should be on your to-read shelf.

This review has been posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link. It has been posted at goodreads.

Holy Moly! Get your fan ready. The author wasted zero time getting down to business. I was so wrapped up in Jude and Cypress that I totally forgot this was part of a “taboo” series. That revelation has the potential to rip the Gordon family to shreds. PASSION AND INK was so good that I never wanted to put it down.

I enjoyed this book. It starts with a very HOT (this is Naima Simone after all) one night stand between "jay" and "ro", but the next time they meet, they discover they are actually step-siblings Jude and Cypress who barely ever knew each other and haven't seen each other since they were teenagers.

I guess I'd say this---this book is pretty much 100% angst, meaning it's all high internal conflict between the characters and their own thoughts and feelings. Even the external drama is family drama--Cypress' Dad is married to Jude's Mom--is just adding angst, it's not like it really adds much to that tortured vibe. Lots of chemistry here and I really liked how tenderly Jude treats Cypress.

There's a lot of money things going on here, and I'll be honest--none of it makes much sense. So if that bothers you at all, then you really have to know going in that the reasons that Cypress is working at a dive bar and for seeing her father are just head-scratching. So a lot of that didn't quite work for me.

Also, I am a Naima SImone fangirl, but I am not sure that the 1st person present narration works for the way she writes. There's these long beautiful metaphors for feelings, and I just always find myself wondering, "Is this how people really think and talk to themselves?" But whatever. I don't think that bothers anyone but me, but I had to say it.

Passion and Ink by Naima Simone is a fiery, sexy book with serious heart at the core of it. I just started reading this author last year and I'm so happy I did. She has amazing skill at developing characters and angst at the same time as bringing the heat. This book has the two MCs parents married to each other which is not my favorite thing in the world but the author handled it well. 3.5 Stars.

What do you do after you have been blacked balled from your job , you move back home and start slinging drinks in a dive bar . Cypress Winters has been through a lot in the past year . So when she is offered a one night stand with the man who occupies her mind most of the time . I mean what would you do if Jude walked into your life . A man made for sinning she jumps at the chance for a night of dirty sex . But in the light of day she has to come to the conclusion that she has to stay away from him for so many reasons . Will they be able to stay away from each other or will the passion of that one night bring them together and will they be able to conquer all the obstacles in their way .
Wow these characters kind of blew me away, they are well written and complex . Cypress well she has been through the wringer . After being black balled from her job, she has kind of been beaten down and she is at a cross roads . She lost her job because she stood up for herself against a company . Now she is working hard to keep her mom safe . There are moments you just want to wrap her up and hug her tight and tell her that life will get better . She has a strong will but is also really scared that she just might not make it . Now Jude well he is is just sex on a stick and i will say he is an alpha , direct, very determined and so dominate and smoking hot . There is also a softer side to him when he is around Cypress he wants to protect her and keep her safe . He does have a laid back style that brings you in and keeps you safe . Alone these characters are awesome but holy when they are together they are explosive . Trust me on this one ladies .
I sat down one evening and couldn't wait to dive into Jude's story . I couldn't wait to see where the author would take us concerning him . He is just such a big characater and you just want to hug him and do naughty things to him . OK I will rein myself in here. Yes this is a step brother romance book , and yes there is lots of hot sexy sex and brooding men in this book and a heroine that is torn between the love she has and the obligation she has to her family . The author takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride . There are moments when you just want to slap each of them upside the head and then there are times you just want to hug them and tell them everything will be ok . Oh and then there are the moments where you will blush and fan yourself . You will love the story and the characters so much .You will get so invested with them . This is the second book in the series but you can read it as a stand alone . So if you want a hot read for a cold snowy night check it out , you will not be disappointed .

This romance is a gripping tale of one young woman’s life struggle and the temptation presented her by the man wrapped in golden skin and sin who turns out to be her stepbrother. Jude and Cypress have some seriously electrical chemistry going on throughout this romance as they struggle against a whole host of taboo and emotional issues. These strong, compelling characters are full of life and readers find themselves wanting to be a part of their story as they overcome adversity and reach for their happily ever after with a sinfully delicious relationship full of passion.

The story is fast paced and the suspense builds throughout as Cypress and Jude struggle with the obstacles that life keeps throwing their way and a family issues that include blackmail. Jude may be Cypress’s obsession but he has her wanting to sin in all kinds of ways in this red hot and passionate romance that has readers unable to put this story and has them wanting some of that deliciousness as well. The author has brought a difficult but real situation to life that is steamy, gritty and extremely satisfying.

If you do a social media survey of which current romance authors write the hottest sex scenes, there's a more than reasonable likelihood that Naima Simone will be on that list. Her tales run the gamut from suspenseful, to emotional, to fun and flirty but never fail to entertain. With her entries in the Sweetest Taboo series, she skirts the line of forbidden romance in steamy, thought-provoking stories. Passion and Ink stars a couple bonded by family who must carve out their own happy ending, no matter the consequences.

Cypress 'Ro' Winters doesn't belong in a dead end bartending job but since she moved back home after quitting her previous high-paying position due to systemic sexual harassment, it's her current life. Well, that, and taking care of her mother, who is still recovering from a heart attack and surgery, not to mention a broken heart. So when an anonymous stranger, a devilishly handsome man, tempts her into a no holds barred one night stand, she's ready and willing. One night, no last names, no future.

Jude Gordon can't forget Ro and their night together. But it turns out he might have to when his stepfather's daughter, a woman he hasn't seen for ten years - since they were both teenagers - who has moved back from L.A., comes over for dinner – and it's Ro. It's too late to prevent them from sleeping together, and even knowing they are step-siblings can't stop their attraction to each other. But Cypress’ father Dan can see there’s something between them, and he won't have it. He's promised to pay his ex-wife's medical bills but he'll cut off all funds if he suspects Jude and Cypress of behaving 'inappropriately', not to mention how their other family members will react to their being together. Will Cypress and Jude find their happy ending comes with too steep a price?

The author quickly sets the tone to show Cypress's struggle to get through another day. It's no wonder that the appearance of Jude and his interest in her is a much needed escape, even if only temporarily.  Jude has expectations of clear consent in all their interactions which gives Cypress a measure of control that she's been missing, and the chance to experience a night of steamy sex on her terms.  Finding out he's her stepbrother (yes, a bit hard to believe they didn't recognize each other at all) and her father's ultimatum to keep away from Jude dampens her lust, but doesn’t kill it, especially when she ends up needing a place to stay and Jude's house happens to have several empty bedrooms. Suffice it to say that a large portion of the story is made up of passionate sexy scenes cementing their growing feelings for each other.

But there is more to the story than that. One of the key themes is relationship breakdowns and the obsession that can result. Cypress's mother never got over Dan leaving her for another woman (Jude's mother) and Cypress was left to pick up the pieces as a young teenager. Her mother would take any overture in her direction - even a phone call - as a sign to hope he might come back to her, to the point where Cypress chose to cut her father out of her life rather than watch her mother go through the emotional turmoil every time he wouldn't come back home. Even now, Cypress would prefer to have nothing to do with Dan, but she needs the money for her mother's bills. Keeping her contact with him a secret is vital, as is hiding her relationship with Jude which could set her mother on a relapse.

There is also an ex-girlfriend of Jude's who is stalking him, convinced that he'll come back to her. She makes scenes in public places and threatens suicide. This is particularly painful for Jude, as his mother had attempted suicide when he was younger and he'd been the one to find her, get her help, and keep the episode secret. He suffers from PTSD as a result, with panic attacks that occasionally overwhelm him. He is also dealing with the death of his younger brother and the estrangement of his older brother Knox from the family due to his relationship with the widow of his dead brother (their story is in Sin and Ink). That's a lot of stress and he'd planned an overseas trip that is fast approaching, making his growing feelings for Cypress an added complication.

Clearly there's a lot of emotion and angst in this story but the author does a great job of having the characters work through their issues and find compromises and strength to deal with their family members, standing up for themselves and their right to be together. Insta-lust eventually turns into real love and commitment. If you like erotic romances that delve equally into emotional entanglements as well as the bedsheets, Naima Simone should be on your to-read shelf.

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Another hot, sexy & emotional romance from Naima Simone!

With a story that truly fits the title, Jude & Cypress are two characters that sucked me into their world almost immediately. It was difficult putting my phone down. Both are characters that were forced to bear burdens long before they were physically and emotionally ready to do so. As adults, they are struggling to heal from the resulting scars. Meeting each other at a critical point in their lives helps reveal some uncomfortable but necessary truths that help them find new direction.

I love that Naima has managed with this series - so far - to show that at times, love can be one helluva mess, but still beautiful in all the surrounding chaos. One-click today & begin the Sweetest Taboo journey.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book, which I received via NetGalley.

Cypress works in a dive bar in Chicago. And one night, a god is sitting at one of the tables. Jay.
What she doesn't know is that Jay is actually Jude, her stepbrother.
And being with him will have consequences. But they can't fight the attraction they feel.
The book is ok. It loses strenght in the middle but the end is good. I hadn't read the previous book in this series. And although I was not really lost, there were some references to it. And it was a little bit confusing.

Nikki’s Review:

So, I totally thought that Naima couldn’t possibly write a better story than the first book, Sin and Ink, in this series. Sin and Ink was so damn amazing! I mean, I fell hard for the characters in that book, but sweet Baby Jesus, I was wrong. So very fucking wrong! Passion and Ink was everything. Jude Gordon is my book boyfriend. The plot just grabbed ahold of me and wouldn’t let go. I don’t know if either book is better than the other; maybe I love them equally for different reasons. But right now, Jude is a hard hero to beat!

This book starts off with a bang. Right from the get go you get to see the wicked and sexy chemistry between Jude and Cypress. The sexual tension was thick and captivating. I knew these two were going to burn up the pages. Woohoo!

Like book one, this story was filled with angst. I love angsty romance. Naima brilliantly brought these emotions to life. I could feel the lump in my throat over and over again. I was able to really appreciate the feelings of the characters.

There are so many reasons that Jude and Cypress believe why they shouldn’t be together. Well, more Cypress. She’s definitely the cynical one in the relationship. It’s a good thing that her heart, and her girly bits, didn’t care about all the “logical” reasons to stay away from him.

A lot of the story was about trust and forgiveness. How many of us deal with that on a daily basis? Often, those thing aren’t easy to give. I really felt that struggle. The push and pull was ever present.

I could go on and on about this book. It was that amazing. I don’t want to give too much away, so just do yourself a favour, and read it! Start with the first in the series. You absolutely do not want to miss reading about Knox! I’m so looking forward to reading Simon’s story next!

Rating: 5 Stars (A+)

Naima Simone has written a fantastic and thoroughly intriguing book, filled with all the angst filled drama and agonising suspense. All the elements that you come to except and love when reading a book written by Naima Simone. This story had me engrossed from beginning to end and totally had to recommend and totally worth more than the five stars I can give

4.5stars
Another great book from this series. This time we also have a taboo between stepsiblings Jude and Cypress. Their story is unique, interesting and what I liked the most that it was not predictable. Both have very hard past and Cypress hard life accompanies her still to this day. The story is full of family drama and how secrets can ruin someone's life. I loved both Cypress and especially Juda, he is so great character. I loved how he wanted to protect Cypress how he wasn't afraid o reveal his emotions and that he inspired Cypress to stand for her self. They make a great power couple.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Perfect story that was written
The characters were interesting to read about


I give it 5 star rate because it was amazing

Great storyline. The sex was off the wall, but watching them both grow was better. Both had a lot they needed to work through and they did to b together. Loved the ending,

Jude and Cypress are two beautifully broken people who start off as a one night stand. Neither are expecting more. Jude was very blunt when he told her it couldn't/wouldn't be anything else. She accepted.
The very next week, thanks to giving each other different names, they discover they are really step siblings. LOL! I knew it was coming, but I thought that was funny. :)
I really enjoyed this story. It is book 2 in the series, but you could read it on its own with no issues.

I LOVED this book so much. Cypress and Jude were so great together, and I was so glad to see what went down with his family. It was SO needed. Also, the scene with Jude and Knox just killed me (in a good way)! Just a really great book!

Review: PASSION AND INK (Sweetest Taboo Book 2) by Naima Simone https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-b2p
Publication Date: February 18, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

This is a smoking hot erotic romance that still manages to portray feelings and barriers. I do wish there was more talking and less of the long-winded descriptor sentences. I enjoyed the interaction with the characters, including secondary ones. The problems this couples faced was not because of their step-sibling status, but because their parents are weak and ridiculous, yet manage to have damaged them both. I’m glad they found the strength together to overcome that foolishness. The drama wrapped up rather quickly, but that can be forgiven since it is a shorter novel. I did not feel cheated. I liked it and look forward to the next.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~
Kindle $3.99 https://amzn.to/2SW3hDV

CWs for sexual harassment & assault in the workplace, stalking & emotional blackmail (the hero has a "crazy" ex), panic attacks vividly described on page, suicide attempt & child neglect.

Wish I had this information before going into the book, because is wasn't a light read. Sadly, I enjoyed the first volume in the series - SIN & INK - much more than this one. Wish the narration was tighter and the prose a bit more polished. The mix of inspirational quotes and pop-culture references didn't make for a smooth reading experience.

The main issue is that the author chose to include so much difficult content and trauma in a relatively short book that it was impossible to handle it all with the sensitivity and attention it deserved. The obstacle that was pitched as the main source of conflict - the fact the hero and the heroine are stepsiblings - barely plays a role and the resolution is way too neat and tidy. Sure I'm not the only one who found it odd that the heroine and hero didn't recognize each other after just a few years of not seeing each other at family events?

Moreover, this might be a tiny problem for most people but as a former waitress I found the way aspects of the job were presented to be highly implausible. While I do understand the heroine's need to run away and start fresh, the fact that with her education, work experience and connections Cypress would choose a job in a sector infamous for rampant sexual harrasment and assault is... unlikely. Given the fact she desperately needs money, the way Jude coaxes her to extend her breaks, call in sick and have sex at her workplace without a worry she might get fired comes off as selfish and inconsiderate.

While this was a miss, I will continue reading the series, because I am intrigued by Simon and would love to get to know his story.

Well Naima Simone has surprised me again with a taboo storyline. Wasn’t sure what I was getting into with a step brother/ step sister story but dang! Because of how they met each other I was completely able to get into the whole taboo storyline. Because I mean seriously Jude sounds like a pretty sexy guy and Cypress was a hottie in her own right. These two just completely clicked right off the bat. It was instant chemistry but there was also just something about each other that they were able to talk to each other and like each other as a whole. The passion between Jude and Cypress was off the charts HOT!! Once I started this book I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. I loved Knox in this book too and really enjoyed the talks he had with Jude. It helped Jude get past the baggage he was carrying from his childhood. Cypress had her own childhood baggage that was tied up with Jude’s family but Jude was able to help her with moving past it, after a few bumps in the road of course. It was great seeing Jude get his HEA after the few peeks at him in the first book. If you read Knox’s book and loved it then you will definitely love Jude’s. I would definitely recommend this hot and sexy book!

This is another wonderful book in this series. This can totally be read as a standalone read. However, in my opinion, you should read book one because of the strong ties between the two and honestly, Sin and Ink was incredible! There is a deep, powerful history that fuels the characters and the storyline and reading both books and in order will enrich your reading pleasure and give you more insight into the characters. This forbidden romance focuses on the romance between stepsiblings, Jude and Cypress. I myself truly didn't get too much of a forbidden vibe from the story; except in the loosest sense. Although these two interacted a little bit when they were younger, they never really shared that familial bond or sentiment. The storyline is filled with seething emotions, tensions, turmoil and drama. The attraction between this couple is instantaneous and sizzling. Their scenes are scorching but always with a simmering underlayer of emotion underneath. Both these characters were wounded and yet strong. Stronger than they ever thought they were. I loved that Cypress could make Jude see that he wasn't responsible for everyone else's secrets and choices and it was heart melting to watch Jude convince Cypress that true love is not a weakness but a strength. A very beautiful romance with plenty of heart and heat.