The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas Published by Forever on August 8th, 2017
Pages: 369
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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A new story of dangerous temptations from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the This Man trilogy.
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.
Erin’s Review
Oh MY GOD. JEM is one of those authors that I don’t even bother reading the synopsis for her books, I just dive right in. This book was no exception..though when I got into and discovered what made it “Forbidden” I thought about DNFing the book. But this is JEM and she hasn’t let me down before so I kept at it. She did not disappoint. After awhile I got over the forbidden aspect of the story and was cheering on Jake and Annie! The chemistry between the two of them was off the charts.. even during the parts when Annie was trying to be the better person and walk away.. the chemistry was still jumping off the page. I LOVED JACK and my heart was breaking for him throughout the book, his situation was crazy (seriously) and I understand now why he couldn’t just be done with it… The last 15% of the book kept me on the edge of my seat and got the best of my emotions.
After having a moment of where I considered DNFing I kept at reading it and I am glad that I continued reading. I ended getting past the one thing I had a problem with in this story and really started to enjoy it and the characters in the book. I am wondering if we’ll see more of them in the future. Are we going to see more from Annie and Jack? Maybe we’ll get a story for Micky, Nat and Lizzy? I would love to see how Annie and Jack’s happily ever after pans out, because this book didn’t have an epilogue and I think all books need an epilogue at the END of the story.. so maybe there will be more. I guess we’ll see! 😉
Excerpt
“Thank you for your help,” I say quietly, studying him, definitely detecting that he’ s deep
in thought. Don’ t ask, don’ t ask, don’ t ask. I need to get back into my apartment without engaging
with him, which could prove tricky when he’ s blocking the doorway and looking like he has no
intention of shifting to let me in.
“Annie,” he breathes. “I’ m struggling so badly.”
“I’ m not doing this.” I swallow, pushing my way past him. He grabs me by the top of my
arm and holds me in place. “Let me go, Jack.”
“I’ ve already told you I can’ t do that. Annie, I’ m drowning here. I’ m going out of my
mind, and the more time I spend with you the fucking worse it’ s getting. Listening to you,
talking to you, sharing a passion with you that goes way beyond the amazing time we had in bed
together.”
“You have to forget!” I yell, knowing anger is the only way forward. Be angry with him.
Let it dominate me and rule me, because the alternative scares me to fucking death.
He pushes me into the hall and slams the door behind us, forcing me to back up. “No,” he
says, straight and even. “No,” he repeats, moving one more step forward, except this time I don’ t
retreat. Because I can’ t. Because he has me locked in place with those grey eyes, and now
they’ re back to their full glory. Sparkling, even if it’ s with anger. He reaches for his shirt and
starts unbuttoning it before shrugging it off and throwing it to the floor, revealing the chest that’ s
haunting me.
I quickly look down at the pile of material, my mind reeling. His chest. His perfect damn
chest. “What are you doing?”“I have no fucking idea.” He reaches for me and slides a hand around my neck, pulling
me to him. Our chests meet, and my determination to repel him vanishes under our connection.
Wrongs turn into rights. Conflict turns into craving.
“I can’ t get you out of my head, Annie.” His forehead meets mine, his palm massaging
away the tightness in my neck muscles, softening me up until I relax in his hold. “I want you all
over again, and I can’ t even find the will to worry about how much more that’ ll make me want
you.” He breathes down on me. “I’ ve played that night on repeat. I’ ve dreamed of holding you in
my arms again. I’ ve craved the sound of your voice, the feel of your touch, the softness of your
lips on mine. I know I shouldn’ t want you. But I do. Nothing has ever made me feel this insane
with need. Nothing has taken up so much space in my head. I can’ t fucking help it, Annie.” His
grey gaze sinks into me, my heart steadying to an even thrum. His head starts to shake mildly,
his splayed hand moving up to the back of my head and fisting my hair. “I don’ t want to help it,”
he growls. “I want you. I don’ t care how wrong it is.” His clenched fist tightens, gripping my
hair harshly. “I know I’ ve been on your mind since I fucked you every which way in that hotel
room. Stop denying it. Don’ t insult me and tell me you don’ t crave that amazing feeling all over
again. I can see it in your eyes every damn time I look into them. You. Want. Me.”
It’ s me who moves in first. All me. I lunge forward and smash my lips to his, the
magnetic force winning. His words winning. Jack winning. My heart winning. I coax his mouth
open with hard, hungry kisses. I’ ve lost my mind to a craving too powerful to fight off. And, like
Jack, I don’ t care how wrong it is.
Lost.
Yet as he walks me backward until my back slams into the wall, I feel found again.I cry out, and Jack moans. We’ re clumsy and desperate. He’ s pushing me up the wall
with the force of his kiss, then he’ s rolling away, taking me with him until it’ s his back slamming
into the wall. It’ s the elevator all over again. The atmosphere is sizzling. I’ m on fire. He scoops
me up, pinning me to him, and carries me into my bedroom. I focus on him. Only him and the
return of feelings that I’ ve fantasized about since that unforgettable night. All the guilt is
abandoning me, and I let it, unprepared to let anything stop me from taking the forbidden.
Giveaway
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