No. Just No. One day I would like my sexy, steamy, romance novels to actually include some romance. Not some abusive relationship that sets women's rights back about a decade. For some reason we're loving the cheater here and the poor wife who's being cheated on is, of course, the cliche bitch which is somehow meant to absolve any ethical implications of infidelity. There is nothing wrong with writing about taboo subjects, but this didn't deal with them in the right way. Instead of delving into any kind of psychology of the two main characters we just ended up with some sort of convoluted insta-love triangle. It just wasn't convincing.

Fantastic book as always Jodi never lets us down there where moments I wasn't sure but in the end I loved the book

Jodi you've done an excellent job with this book. You should be totally and completely proud!!

I love all of Jodi's books but this one has taken the #1 spot. I really do love Jesse. But Jack is now my #1 favourite man.

Seriously Jack gave me butterflies from when he first came on the scene. I was just basically grinning like an idiot the whole time.

I totally loved Annie such an amazing, fun, loving and strong character.

Stephanie... Hated her with a passion.

This book has just made me so happy. I swooned loads, smiled like a fool and shed sad and happy tears.

#AbsolutelyLovedIt

“You possess me. You own me. You rule me. You are everything to me, Annie Ryan.”

Jodi Ellen Malpas is back with a standalone page turner; a story of intense, knee trembling passion, heartfelt emotion, a forbidden love story that saw us completely involved in Jack and Annie and their plight. This was a forbidden romance in every sense of the word, and it’s one we believed in.

“Stop fucking lying to me! Stop saying what your head is demanding and start listening to your fucking heart.”

Annie Ryan hasn’t never been swept off her feet. In fact, she’s never experienced love with a man. Intense passion? Emotional involvement? Not that either. Instead, Annie turned her attention to pouring her passion into her successful Architectural business she has built from the ground up.

However, whilst on a night out with her mates she’s blindsided when she experiences the intense pull and chemistry with Jack Joseph. His mere presence sends her heart racing, sends her knickers in a twist and sees them spending a night of unbridled passion, only for Annie to get cold feet and bolt without so much as a goodbye, the next morning.

“If I ever lay eyes on you again, Annie, I can’t promise I’ll do what’s best and walk away next time.”

As fate would have it, Jack and Annie’s paths cross again under complicated circumstances. It turns out Jack owns a construction business….that’s right, they’ll be working together! Now, Jack and Annie are compatible on every level. Physically, mentally and emotionally – they’re perfect for each other. So, when they meet at Annie’s party a short time after a night of wicked sex, they can pick up where they left off, right? Wrong! Jack turns up to Annie’s party, totally clueless to the fact he will once again come face to face with the woman who had recently shook his world.

Well, it’s her alright and things become awkward because Jack is there with his wife! Yep, Jack is married. He’s forbidden fruit! Albeit Jack’s marriage is anything but happy, but he’s married and therefore off limits. However, try telling Jack and Annie’s treacherous hearts that!

“I’ll hold your hand through this if you hold mine.”
“I’ll never let go, Annie. Not for anything.”

We lived and breathed the potency of this story, believing in the confliction Jack and Annie were both experiencing. The clandestine catch ups had us holding our breaths, the confrontations with friends and loved ones had us clutching our hearts. We understood everyone’s perspective and we desperately wanted Jack and Annie to find their happiness and boy, did we have to work for it!

‘I know that him plus me equals amazing. I can’t resist him; I’ve tried so bloody hard. I want him. Need him. ‘

We especially love Jodi’s male characters and in Jack, this author given us a man of contradictions, who brought with him so much depth. Sure, Jack displayed the alpha tendency this author is synonymous with, however Jack also showed a searing and beautiful vulnerability. Jack is a victim in his marriage yet this did not emasculate him in any way. Not in the least, it made him stronger in our eyes. A man so desperately unhappy in his marriage, and so blissfully happy when he’s with Annie, yet wanting to do the best for both. We felt everything he was going through.

“Don’t make me give you up, Annie.”

Fans of stories with angst, heartfelt emotion, scorching passion, and edge of your seat drama, you’ll l enjoy this one.

So i am still a relatively new Jodi Ellen Malpas reader, i have to say though i loved this book the most out of all of the m that i have read.Incredibly sexy and intriguing, as the secrets through the story get revealed. For some the subject may be too much, but for me it added to the story and the passion. I really urge you to read the book, and if you hot a bit where you think oh oh this story is not for me, as like i said some people will not be comfortable with how the story is going, then i urge you to keep reading, you will enjoy the ending of Annie and Jack's story

review on goodreads under the name kimothy

JEM is one of my favourite authors, I have always preordered all her books. She is my unicorn! When I heard about her new release , I was so excited and I needed to get hold of it asap. I love the cover of the book and the title- it screamed MYSTERY. Then , I read the blurb …and my mind was in such a turmoil I did not what to do. I am not keen on being the other woman /man’s story but I had to read it and get out of my comfort zone because it’s JEM.

I still do not know how I feel about it. I understand Jack and Annie and I don’t. But Jem got me hooked with her words, she captivated my curiosity. The writing had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I wanted so badly to know what was going to happen to Jack and Annie. I could feel every emotion, every argument, every kiss and that’s why JEM made me root for them despite the fact that it was forbidden.

“ I feel like I’m suffocating. I can’t deny I would love to see him, but I can’t promise I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself. “

The Forbidden is about life and destiny. Right decisions need to be made but the characters need to pursue their dream and their fate… more importantly they need to embrace their situation and find THE courage to do it to get their HEA… But will they?

Jack is not Jem’s typical male characters that you fall hard for ( at least I didn’t) but still the character was real, endearing and torn.

“ I’m madly in love with you, woman, and I’m hating my screwed-up situation for keeping me from you.”
I am glad I read it and I recommend that you read it with an open mind.

*Arc kindly provided for an honest review

4 - Me♥You Stars!

The Forbidden isn’t my first read by Jody Ellen Malpas, I will say though that it is my first read of a story of this nature that I actually enjoyed.

I will say that as a reader that if the subject matter of this story isn’t something you enjoy, then save yourself the time and move straight onto your next read. The story-line is something that will I think be one readers will either love or hate. I think if the author hadn’t made sure that as a reader I sympathized with the lead characters as much as I did, this may have well been a hate-it kind of book for me too.

"If I ever lay eyes on you again… I can’t promise I’ll do what’s best and walk away next time…"

There isn’t a huge amount I can say about the story without giving massive spoilers away, I think if you are open-minded enough to go into Jack and Annie’s story without any pre-conceived judgements about who they are and what they are doing, you do actually get more depth to the reasons things go the way they do and why they act the way they are.

"You’re a welcome distraction from real life."

Not all love stories are pretty, they don’t all start off on an even footing, and I think that’s what Jody has tried to explore, without trying to glamorize what is happening too much, while also trying to delve into the emotions and motivations behind Annie and Jack’s behavior.

I know in my heart of hearts that Jack is my soul mate. He’s the missing piece of me. Without him now, I’d be lost…

I won’t lie the last 15-20% dipped into soap-opera territory for me a bit, but then I suppose that the author had to choose how to play things out, and I cannot think of an alternative that would have really worked if you take into account the actions of certain characters throughout the rest of the story.

There are no unicorns farting glitter of shitting rainbows in this book, it’s a rough ride over uneven terrain before you even see the faint glow of ‘Happily-ever-after’ in the distance. I think the fact I liked the lead couple and the author bolstered them up with some pretty decent secondary characters also helped to keep me invested in the story overall.

"What have you gotten yourself into..?"

"Love"

Am I now going to be hunting out books with stories of this nature going forwards, that would be a big no, but this is Jody Ellen Malpas, I discovered her work by taking a chance, and I will always keep giving her that chance, because in general she seems to hit the right notes with me as a reader.

ARC generously provided, in exchange for the above honest review.

**This review will also appear on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

2.5-3 'read though my fingers but couldn't look away'stars

I must admit to being frustrated throughout this read. This was car crash after car crash in a read that deals with forbidden love. This brand of forbidden love is not something I'm adverse to reading about but it has to be well written. On the whole, I found the storyline interesting but weak in places with significant predictability, however, I read this in a day and found myself glued to the pages.

Both Annie and Jack were characters I couldn't wholly invest in, not because of their forbidden behaviour but because of their weak-assedness regarding all the issues. The dialogue and back and forth was annoying after some time and at other times repetitive, which is probably true of these kinds of relationships but was fatiguing to read. 'Stay---->Go---->Stay---->Go---->Stay' you get my gist.

I have to give kudos to being drawn in and addicted to the read despite my dislike of the story direction. I wanted less predictability and story direction that showed strength of character for Annie; I didn't get that. It was like being caught in the spider's web on the cover but boy, did I want to escape at 85%. I think this was a case of not really for me and I'm sad about that as I love a good forbidden love.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in return for a honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

the forbidden so heart pulling is a taboo that you don't think you will go there until you in that situation yourself Jodie has a nack of pulling you in to the story Mickey with his man bun there is humour in here as well there story so pulls at the heart a must read book and all Jodi ellen maples a must read

A standing ovation needs to be given for Jodi Ellen Malpas's latest all consuming masterpiece. This book takes you on a dangerous ride to the forbidden world of lust, possession and surrender.

Jodi perfectly executed every page with a compelling and emotional fight or flight storyline of an affair that just consumes every molecule in your body. The characters are brilliantly broken down into every ugly layer which makes you see the reasons to their actions, especially in this tainted world of going after something that is not yours to start with.

Readers will be drawn into the dangerous web of deceit and lies and the irresistible pull that leaves you questioning which team you will be fighting for.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about taboo storylines that test and push every boundary while leaving your heart racing at every turn. You will definitely be possessed, owned and ruled.

Firstly, kudos to the author for writing this book. She has taken a subject that most people balk at (not me as there is nothing that will turn me off a book!) and turned it into a tasteful and emotional read.

It was heart wrenching, passionate and I loved the fact that they are English and it was all so English!!!!

Annie is a modern day, more successful Bridget Jones! And Jack, oh Jack how I loved him! The story and the writing were superb. I knew I was going to love it when I read this beaut: 'I catch sight of a sliver of his tongue, and his lips wrap around the bottle, his head tipping back. The throat . Holy shit , the throat. The swallow. The quiet gasp. The colossal blast that’s just happened in my knickers.'

What I didn't love was the violence it bought out in me! Without giving too much away, I did want to kick Annie for waiting for so long and then wanted to slap Jack for making her. I was shouting 'come on man, grow some balls and do this!!!'

I'm torn in two. Part of me is rocking in the corner pulling my hair out and the other is... well, I don't really know what she's doing to be honest.

WARNING: long review ahead!

How to write a review for this book without blurting out spoilers... that's a hard one. I want so much to talk about all the feelings this book brought out in me and why. This story drove me crazy in good ways and bad. It was an emotional roller coaster, that's for sure.
Going into this story, I knew the topic was "taboo" - I mean, come on, the title alone tells you that. I knew it was a subject matter I don't usually like to read about. The fact is, I only decided to give it a try because of the author. So many people love JEM, me included.
As it turns out, I ended up glad I had given it a chance. I was tangled up in a myriad of emotions. It brought old feelings to the surface that I would have rather left forgotten. See, I'm admitting right here and now, I have been in Annie's shoes. I guess people will want to throw stones at me for that, so throw stones if you must, just make sure you don't live in a glass house. I won't let trolls get me down for writing a review for this book or for saying I've been Annie. People need something better to do with their time than to bash JEM for writing this story or me for loving it.

I know that JEM is likely to receive some backlash once this story releases, but I am saying here and now, I will not be jumping on that particular bandwagon. I believe that she is courageous for writing something that the book community may rise up against. She had faith in her characters, in her story and I applaud her for that bravery.

I always try to stay away from drama and this is no different. I won't be caught up in a sh!t storm. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so please respect that my opinion is my own and nothing anyone says can change that.

But I digress, I came here to write my review and though the above is a part of it, in a way, I also want to express why I loved this book. While trying not to spoil it for you, of course. But you can always look away now before I get into it... It's your last chance to back out...!

Annie is an amazing, strong, independent woman. She has a career, a new home, good friends, a good life. All that's missing is a man. But she's not looking for one. She's dated plenty, but she's never felt the butterflies in her stomach, the electrical current from that one touch. Let's face it, we all want a man we have a strong chemistry with but Annie seems lacking in that department.
That is, until one night when she meets an intriguing stranger in a bar. She's out with friends and doesn't want to 'hook up' but the chemistry she feels with this stranger is something she is beguiled by. The stranger, Jack, feels the same. There's something about Annie that intrigues him. There's an undeniable lust that's all-consuming...
But unbeknownst to Annie, the stranger is the fruit of the forbidden tree. She 'should' stay away. She 'should' listen to her head and not follow her heart. And she does. For as long as she can.
Annie knows that she needs to fight this attraction, she needs to just walk away. But is that really possible?

I am. a woman led by my heart. Always have been and always will be. I made the same choice as Annie - as in, there is no real 'choice' because you don't consciously decide to take that step. That choice is made for you by you heart. You can't help who you fall in love with. I've fallen in love with someone forbidden in my past, but I won't make apologies for that because at the end of the day, you really cannot help who you fall for. Love comes in all shapes, sizes and forms. Does forbidden always mean wrong? I know people will disagree with me here and some will say "He was forbidden, you knew he was off limits and you did it anyway." Well yes, I did know (actually, I found out eventually, not right at the start), and yes, I did do it anyway. I could make excuses and say that I was young and naive etc, etc. But I'm not the only one who did something, he did too. He was just as much to blame as me, but women tend to get more flack for it.

The gamut of emotions Annie goes through is something I am sympathetic to. It's so easy to put yourself in her shoes and feel her every feeling, experience her every thought. Well, it was for me anyway. She doesn't go in with her eyes shut. She knows what she's letting herself in for and yet isn't fully aware of the consequences of her actions. You can't be 100% sure what will happen, it's impossible. You are responsible for your actions but not other people's reactions.

Jack exudes sensuality. He's charismatic, handsome - though that's not a descriptive enough word - and he's got a softer side, something that can only be explained when you read it for yourself. There's so much going on in his life that you don't realise. People will be quick to judge before reading, but as Jack's story unfolded, it endeared him to me.

The Forbidden is beautifully written. Jodi has a way of making you feel every emotion and experience everything as if it is happening to you. Her way with words is something unique. She's a wordsmith with a difference. She sucks you in and doesn't let you back out. I was left begging for more at the end of the book and I am hoping there is more to find out about Annie and Jack in the future. Or maybe a story about Micky or Lizzie (with Annie and Jack still present).

There's so much I wish I could say, but I fear I've already let my mouth run away with me too much. I'll say one more thing; I implore you to give this book a chance! (I wasn't sorry that I did).

Another fantastic story from this author. This book will suck you in from the first page. Fantastic characters you will be rooting for as you read. I couldn't put this book down, I just didn't want it to end. This book is suspenseful, romantic and hot as hell. I was blown away by the end, an exceptional read. The more this author writes the better the stories gets, you are always guaranteed a fantastic story with this author. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

I'm not sure how I feel about this book.i was a bit put off by the relationship status but carried on. I felt it had good basis but dragged it seemed to repeat itself a lot. I read Jodi's this man series and enjoyed it but was left feeling a bit flat with this one.

Jodi Ellen Malpas is a new author for me, one I've been wanting to read for quite some time and although the story was good, in my eyes it wasn't exceptional, and for some reason I was expecting exceptional. Maybe I started with the wrong book, a book that I went into blind. The story follows Jack Joseph and Annie Ryan who meet in a bar and spend one of the best nights of their lives together in the knowledge that they will probably never meet each other again. Fate has other plans though, and they are thrown together when their careers have them working on the same project. Annie is an architect and Jack is the contractor chosen by her client. When truths come out, can they still maintain the professionalism needed to get the job done? Do they want to be just co-workers? The writing (told purely from Annie’s POV) had me hooked from the first chapter, I had not idea where this story was going to take me, so many twists and turns. The main context of the story however I did have mixed feelings about, and sadly I can't go into this without a mega spoiler alert, sorry. I did though, absolutely love love love Jack (probably my first mistake, he sucked me in, just like he did with Annie), their chemistry was phenomenal. The supporting characters were brilliant, they were witty, loyal and supportive without letting go of their values. They provided support and advice, sadly it wasn't always adhered to. I was provided with an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 "He’s supposed to be mine." Stars

I have a feeling The Forbidden will divide reader opinion and in terms of potentially taboo subject matter, this is the one most are likely to have experience of in some form, and is the one everyone has an opinion on. Including me, and here I am, drowning in my own huge vat of hypocrisy, because I picked up this up and polished it off in one sitting, and you know what? On the whole I loved it, because life ain't perfect, crap happens and when you love someone, you love someone.

"Are we supposed to let that person pass on by, turn away from someone who finds your soul and kisses it?"

For me, Jodi Ellen Malpas' risqué move here has paid off and, storyline aside, she's created a couple who have the perfect chemistry and are so damn likeable that it was virtually impossible not to be in their corner from the start. I quickly fell in love with Jack: gentle rather than overbearing, hugely protective yet not without his own vulnerabilities, he wears his heart on his sleeve and all this together made him incredibly sexy. Annie is the type of woman I would adore as my best-friend: smart, easy-going but no pushover and with a huge-heart, she's just lovely and when they meet, what begins as amusing banter between strangers soon leads to a night which will change both their lives.

"I promised myself that if the Fates brought you back to me, I wouldn’t let you go."

What struck me was how relatable Annie and Jack were, not really something I've experienced before when reading a JEM book, and we have witty, intelligent, career-orientated, down-to-earth people, like ourselves, who we walk past in the street everyday; who we meet and who on the surface are meandering along quite nicely but underneath are waging their own private battles.

"Knowing you’re doing something so terribly wrong doesn’t make it easy to stop."

I literally can't say much more without spoiling this, and whilst it won't be a book that works for everyone, it worked for me because it made me feel. Yes it had an air of predictability, but all the guilt, regret, hope, heartache, fear and joy Annie and Jack experienced, I felt it with them and, whilst there were moments when I felt torn and uncomfortable over my reactions along with times I could've shook her and others when I could have yelled at him, it all added to an enthralling, albeit at times uneasy, journey. Do I think this is JEM's best to date? I think I do.

Starting this book I went into it completely with an open mind but once "The Forbidden" was revealed it so wasn't what I was expecting and I really had a hard time reading this subject matter as it's something that is a little too close to home for me but having said that it is addictive reading and I kinda want to hate myself and the book because I couldn't stop myself from reading it.
To read it I had to put myself into the mindset of each of the characters and as it's mainly wrote in Annie's point of view it helped me deal with the emotional situation that she is in, I could really understand her thoughts and feelings, I can even sympathise with Jack and the horrible life he has been living but I don't really like myself for condoning what he did.
It's a story that is an emotional rollercoaster of deceit, hurt and a tangled web of lies that will you will either love or hate it. Jodi Ellen Malpas has written a hard hitting and gripping story about a very taboo subject that I suspect will divide her loyal fans as some will find the HEA in this story hard to swallow because of how Annie and Jack get there.
I was really tempted to give this book only 3 stars as I had a hard time dealing with my own emotions while reading it but putting that aside it would be really unfair to Jodi Ellen Malpas as she is brave to have written about a subject that she knows will be controversial, and after all the book is sensitively well written and I can't fault her for writing what she feels she needs to no matter the consequences I even applaud her for it.
This book won't be to everyone's taste. I liked it but I couldn't bring myself to love it so I give it 4 Stars as it's still a book that deserves to have it's merits rewarded.