Friday, August 11, 2017

Review: The Forbidden - Jodi Ellen Malpas

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TheForbidden
The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas 

Publication Date: August 8th, 2017 

Genre: Contemporary Romance


Annie has never experienced the 'spark' with a guy-that instant chemistry that renders you weak in the knees. That is, until a night out brings her face to face with the dangerously sexy and mysterious Jack. It's not just a spark that ignites between them. It's an explosion. Jack promises to consume Annie, and he fully delivers on that promise.
Overwhelmed by the intensity of their one night together, Annie slips out of their hotel room. She is certain that a man who's had such a powerful impact on her must be dangerous. She has no idea that he belongs to another. That he's forbidden.

💛 A Note From The Author 💛

“The Forbidden” is exactly that. Not allowed. Prohibited. Banned. At least, that’s what society says. But what about your heart? It took a massive leap of faith for me to put these words on paper. I’ve always said that I write what my heart tells me to write, not what people want me to write. Never has my own motto been so significant in my writing career. I questioned my sense when I came up with the idea of The Forbidden. Then I reminded myself of my motto, of my heart’s desire, and my heart really wanted to tell this story, despite knowing that it might not be what people expect from me. I couldn’t let my fear of the taboo subject matter dictate my writing. So I dove right in—no holding back, no inhibitions, no softly-softly approach. The Forbidden is controversial. I’ve no doubt it’ll cause debate, and I’m cool with that. As a writer, you accept that what you send out into the world is going to be picked apart, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. This story is about the conflict. The feelings. The questions. It’s about the heart ruling the head. I ask you to go into it with an open mind, and please remember that it is a story. One of passion, of love, and of heartache. It’s about falling in love with the wrong person at the wrong time. Because it happens. Every single day. But above all of that, it’s about being true to yourself and your heart. It’s about finding your soulmate and fighting for them. It’s about standing by what you believe in. And we all believe in true love.
JEM x
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Review
5 Stars
Annie Ryan doesn't believe in this fairytale that there is one man out there for you, that it's worth giving all her time to, she'd rather reach her dreams in the architect world that fight for the attention of a man. That is, until she meets "the" man. Jack Joseph makes her fall over her words, get goosebumps when he enters a room, and question everything she believes about romance being dead. They get along famously and the attraction is all consuming, but there is something between them that makes it clear nothing can happen. Jack isn't Annie's to have, he is someone else's. Her mind is telling her no, but her heart is telling her yes and as time goes on it gets harder to deny the pull that is bringing them together.

"He's still smiling. It's a dangerous smile. Very dangerous. He's too handsome to be harmless."

I may be in the minority, but I love a book that features a well done forbidden romance story line. Yes, this book is about something that everyone has an opinion about, that many may have experienced, but it doesn't change the fact that it is a good book. It's a hard read that makes you question things, it makes you shake your head as the characters make poor choices, but it also makes your heart race as the main character fights for her happy ending. Jodi Ellen Malpas doesn't sugarcoat the situation, main character Annie is in a predicament, she's found herself being the other woman; she's doing something others consider morally wrong, something she once considered wrong. JEM writes about her inner turmoil, she writes about Annie's friends horrible and similar situation, and she includes all the gritty details in the judgement Annie receives as her decisions come to public eye. It may not be a happy-go-lucky romance, but it is reality for many and The Forbidden is a riveting story that will keep you hanging on till the very end. 

"We've explored every inch of each other's bodies, shared the most intimate parts of each other, and here we are acting like it never happened."

Annie Ryan is, unsurprisingly, not my favorite kind of character. She has an attitude that comes across as snooty, she lives to work, and her thoughts on love were hard to relate to. She isn't like me and she isn't like many people I know, but that doesn't make her an awful character. She's also strong, determined, and resilient in ways that many characters are not. I loved reading this different perspective and its obvious that JEM puts time and thought into how her characters read and the viewpoints they offer. The Forbidden is told only from Annie's perspective and despite my dislike of her I was able to really get into the mindset of being the other woman. The situation is difficult, Jack is the kind of man you dream of as a child and grow to believe doesn't exist, and his wife is a horrifying woman that needs more care for mental instability than anything else. 

'I can't get you out of my head, Annie.'"

Annie shares a lust with Jack that jumps from the pages, it burns you with its controversial nature, but it feels so right. No one can say they approve of the situation, not even if they've been it themselves, it comes with regrets, but reading The Forbidden makes you want the good to come out of everything. The relationship between Annie and Jack is a rollercoaster of passion and upset, riddled with questions about what if and when. JEM makes the confusing time come to life, I could see every scene playing out in my head. The whirlwind of emotions was so accurate to how I imagine this would really feel, pure sensual delight tinged with this fear of someone finding out or worse yet, not being the one he chooses. 

"He's not mine. I'm taking something that doesn't belong to me."

The Forbidden falls in the category of being a Love It or Hate It type of book, there is no denying that. Romance readers want a fairytale love story that simply isn't real and I love that JEM took a chance to give us a real love story with all the happy stolen moments and ugly repercussions. The subject matter is sensitive, it is easy to dislike the actions of the characters, especially those of Annie, but it is also realistic and this book reads like it is real life. It was thought-provoking, unique, and so emotional. If you hate forbidden romances, don't read it, but if you can embrace it you will find that The Forbidden is a stunningly crafted novel by Jodi Ellen Malpas.

Photo of sensual kissing couple 

  About Jodi:

Jodi Ellen Malpas wrote her debut series, The This Man Trilogy, in secret, worried about what people might think if they knew what her imagination was capable of. She was shocked herself. But she finally found the courage to unleash her creative streak and self-published THIS MAN – the first book of the This Man Trilogy – in October 2012. She took a chance on the story with a hero who soon became one of modern day fictions most prolific alpha male characters. Jesse Ward – also affectionately known as The Lord of The Manor, sparked incredible reactions from women across the globe and catapulted Jodi into the world of women’s fiction. Jodi went on to self-publish the second book in the trilogy, Beneath This Man in Jan 2013, just before Grand Central Publishing, part of the Hachette Book Group, picked up the popular trilogy and the unknown Jodi. The third book of the trilogy, This Man Confessed, took Jodi to the top of the bestsellers lists, earning her the proud title of #1 New York Times Bestselling Author. This Man has since been voted one of the top romance novels of all time. With so much love, enthusiasm and a thirst for her words from her readers, Jodi suddenly wasn’t afraid of her imagination anymore. She went on to write The One Night Trilogy with the delectable and mysterious Miller Hart, and stole the hearts of her readers once again. Her first stand-alone novel, THE PROTECTOR, released in September 2016 and has since been nominated for a Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. Jodi’s next stand-alone novel. THE FORBIDDEN, is set for release in August 2017. All seven of her published novels have hit the New York Times best sellers list – as well as the Sunday Times list and various international best seller lists. Her work is now published in over 24 languages across the world. Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a mojito addict, is famous for her obsession with Converse, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males. Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.
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