Book Review: His Forbidden Obsession: A sizzling forbidden love, secret pregnancy & forced proximity romance (The Martinelli Wedding Book 4) by Michelle Smart

His Forbidden Obsession is the fourth novel in Michelle Smart’s mafia romance series, The Martinelli Wedding. 

Niccolo Martinelli belongs to one of Italy’s oldest, noble, richest and prestigious families. His father is a Duke. Georgia Thomas is an unknown interior designer. She knows there is no future for them as a couple. Nic is having financial difficulties and so needs an influx of cash. The mafia Esposito family lend him the money on the condition that he marries the daughter, Siena. The Esposito family feel that this marriage will give their name social standing to go with their millions. Georgia and Nic have one last weekend together, he tells her about his upcoming nuptials, asks if she will continue to be his lover/ mistress and she tells him to sling his hook. Fast forward 4 months. She has realised she is pregnant and he he is the runaway groom. The Esposito brothers are trying to kill them both as their father dropped dead after Nic ran during the wedding. Nic rescues Georgia in London and they go into hiding. The question remains will they survive long enough to build a HEA? 

I really enjoyed this novel. I think it’s one of my favourite reads of 2025 and the most enjoyable out of the series, although all 4 have interesting and enjoyable storylines. The novel is well paced, the characters gel well together. There are links and references between this and the other novels in the series that are not just an afterthought but work together. The book and storyline is well paced, doesn’t drag and it feels like the author really enjoyed writing this book. If you enjoy mafia inspired, secret pregnancy, alpha male romances I would recommend this and the other novels in this series. 

An ARC copy was provided by Michelle Smart in exchange for an honest review

Book Review:Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon; Harlan Coben

Gone Before Goodbye is a psychological thriller co-authored by Reece Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. 

Dr Maggie Maggie McCabe had been a successful surgeon. She had worked as an army surgeon and won several medals for her bravery. When she left the army she married fellow army medic, Marc, and set up a charity , WorldCures Alliance, which helped victims in war torn areas with their best friend Trace. Her life fell apart when Marc was killed in a war torn Tunisia - he had gone to save lives but lost his own. Her mother died, Maggie’s medical licence was suspended and she was facing a lawsuit from a former patient, so was unable to practice what she loved. She was talking to her husband through a grief bot an app that her sister was creating to help people come to term with their loss of loved ones. Maggie and her sister were facing bankruptcy when she was offered an opportunity by her old professor, Dr Barlow. She would go to Russia operate on 2 people and leave. It sounded so simple and would clear their debts. She took the job and her life spiralled from there into a murky underworld which finally solved her husband’s  death. 

The first 47% of the novel dragged in places as the scene was set for the twists and turns which culminated in an end I did not anticipate. The characters interact well together. Porkchop is my favourite character who, during the first half of the book, caught my interest enough to carry on reading and I am so pleased that I did!  Porkchop’s humorous and stoic character balanced out the confusion, intensity and grief that shaped the main storyline. The exploration of grief and the use of AI to combat those feelings was an interesting tool to show how deeply Maggie depended on her husband in life and death. I read this in one setting as the suspense was palpable. I wanted to see who actually killed Marc and find out where Trace was.  The ending was unexpected as the authors left not a single clue or hint until the last few pages unveiled the answers that Maggie and Nadia had been looking for. 

An ARC copy was provided by Netgalley UK and Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review