Forbidden is the first of a trilogy - keep that in mind as you get started :) The romance is a kind of a slow burn with the story. lots of drama and twists, but the steamy bits are well...steamy! you won't be disappointed. It's well written with complex characters. a great start for this trilogy.

When I began reading the book I was expecting something different. I was expecting the house of sin to be an actual house where BDSM stuff were happening. It's wasn't like that though and I can't say anything because the truth behind the name and everything is revealed towards the end of the book and it changes a lot of things we thought we knew. I had a lot of WTF thoughts in my mind for quite some time. The second is going to be about the same couple aka Luciano and Natalie. This one ends with a cliffhanger, so I suggest to wait for all the books to be out before you begin reading the series.

Received an arc copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
It's totally not my cup of tea. There's too much drama and the Relationship is not one I'm in awe of. ANd then when I decide to finish the book I had the unpleasant surprise to discover that the love story was to be continued. I Don't know if I'll read the other books of the series.

Pretty good, pretty dark, pretty engrossing. Gotta warn you, it's a cliffhanger...but I'll be reading the rest when they come out for sure.

More than 5-Stars!
This is book one in the House of Sin series and it features Luc Salvatici and Natalie James. The mystery and intrigue was intense. The suspense is nerve-racking. Secret societies, family-good and bad, archaic laws and the desperate need for change is what this first book and series is all about. He tried to save her but in the mist of saving her, he fell in love with her and everything spiraled out of control from there.

The characters are fantastic! The plot is out of this world! The writing is superb! This would make an outstanding movie. I can’t wait for book two!

Natalie James leaves her small Idaho town for Manhattan to look into the death of her best friend. She’s determined to get a job at the same company as her friend. Her initial introduction to Luciano Salvatici does not go well and she is sent on her way. Natalie is strong willed, determined and very independent.

Luc is intimidating, dark, dominant, controlling and drawn to Natalie. However he is hiding dark secrets that he never wants her to discover.

While it was an interesting winding, twisting tale, there was so much drama. And I am not a drama queen. Lots of scorching hot, fan your face sex, to the point of practically obliterating the story line. And towards the end it gets pretty dark and disturbing. Lots of possible triggers here. I liked parts of the book, disliked parts and found some parts downright unrealistic/unbelievable. So, I’m kinda on the fence about this one. I will probably read the next one to see where it goes and hope the drama tones down a little.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

When her friend is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Natalie James is going to find out what really happened, no matter the dangers she may face in the process. Getting a job at the company where she last worked, and investigating from within seems like her best plan of action... until she runs into one very immovable hurdle, Luc Salvatici.

Luciano Salvatici takes one look at the enticing and naive Natalie and makes the decision to keep her as far away from him, and his company as possible. Until his brother steps in and makes it impossible for him to not get involved. She may think she knows what she is getting into, but the Salvatici family is one she does not want to gain the attention of...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Natalie James decides the death of her once sweet and innocent friend is not adding up, she decides to get to the bottom of what was going on in her life before she passed away. Living in her old apartment and associating herself with people whom she was involved with, it isn't long before she finds herself subjected to some unpredictable and unwanted attention.

Luciano Salvatici has unwillingly taken over his family business, and while he doesn't agree with the way things are done, it is his duty to protect his family name and the empire they are in charge of. Natalie is a problem he did not see coming, but once he determines that she is not going away, he decides he might as well enjoy her for awhile...

Luc is a cold as steel dominate. But, his desire to be in charge at all times rivals his infatuation of Natalie, who is a strong and determined woman who isn't so easily subdued. And when these two finally give in and are unable to keep their hands off of each other for any significant amount of time, the dark cloud of the Salvatici family is staring to close in on them...

This was a really great book! Dark and sexy, book one in the House of Sin series ends in a cliffhanger that will leave you yearning for more...

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

4.25 stars--FORBIDDEN is the first instalment in Elisabeth Naughton’s contemporary, adult HOUSE OF SIN dark, erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on twenty-four year old, American Natalie James, and thirty-two year old Italian businessman Luciano Salvatici’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the story line content, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Luc and Natalie) FORBIDDEN is a dark, erotic romance story line that follows the building but contemptuous relationship between Luc Salvatici and Natalie James. Natalie James have never been to New York but a interview with the House of Salvatici and its fashion magazine COVET meant Natalie would have access to everything her best friend Elena had so cryptically mentioned in the weeks before her sudden death. Meeting Luciano Salvatici (aka the beast) found our heroine unwittingly drawn to the dark and mysterious CEO, a man whose instant dislike for Natalie disguised an urgency to protect her from the monsters within. What ensues is the acrimonious but highly sexual relationship between Luc and Natalie, and the fall-out as the Salvatici family history demands payment and submission from all those who dare to seek the truth.

FORBIDDEN is a story that covertly and slowly reveals a dark and dangerous family secret going back hundreds of years that continues go grow in strength to the present day. The blackened, sexual nature of the family history threatens all those who dare the cross their paths, including our heroine who has inadvertently stumbled down the rabbit hole into a world that is about to destroy her life. Warned numerous times not to tread outside of the lines, our heroine’s constant need to prove she was beyond the reach of mere, mortal men finds herself in the line of fire, threatening her very existence and the heart she lost to Luciano Salvatici.

Elisabeth Naughton pulls the reader into a shadow society that plays by its own rules; a family so deeply immersed into domination, power and control their own son struggles to move on from the past. The premise is dark, dramatic, erotic and intriguing; the characters are colorful, charismatic, and astonishing; the romance is fated, passionate and tragic. FORBIDDEN is a familiar story line but a story line I am desperate to see follow through.

Copy supplied for review

THE READING CAFÉ: review to be posted on May 5 at the Reading Cafe

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2363775686


AMAZON.COM: https://www.amazon.com/review/RGEN9292CEMFZ/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0798NR91V


BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4176640666


B&N; (Sandy_thereadingcafe) posted

CHAPTERS/INDIGO (Sandy_At_the_Reading_Café) posted

GOOGLE PLAY (Sandy S) posted

If dark is your favorite flavor then you will find Forbidden by Elisabeth Naughton to be one delicious read. Unlike anything I have ever read by this author. It is not a suspense romance as such though it does have suspense and romance. It also is much more erotic in the hot scenes in the book. While looking for information about her friend, Natalie is drawn and seduced into the world of Luciano. The reader is drawn into the story along wither.

First of the House of Sin series, Forbidden lives up to its name as well as the series’ name. Plenty of unanswered questions and mysterious closed doors to keep the reader guessing while also making the reader want to read on even when the book is finished. Not everything is answered in this book.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F BDSM Dark Romance
Triggers: Cliffhanger! Murder, BDSM aspects, "sex kitten" issues, Drugs

Luciano is an enigma. Luciano, or Luc, is trying to live his life, but when he's called to head the family business, he really has no choice. He's thrust into the life he doesn't want and made to heel at his father's whim. He knows that he should not have anyone close to him, but when Natalie comes to his office, he is immediately intrigued with her.

Natalie is at Covet for one reason – find out what happened to her best friend. When she meets Luc for the first time, she's intimidated and then thoroughly dismissed. Feeling defeated, she finds a different way into the company. Natalie is very naïve in this story. She is trusting and so virginal it really takes a lot for me to believe that she can even survive this world.

The journey that Natalie and Luc go on is one of danger and lust. There is a lot of chemistry between Luc and Natalie, but their overall relationship is one of mistrust and lies. When the truth comes out, you can't help but wonder where the story will take you – lead you. This was a quick read with a lot of steam. It will be interesting to see if Naughton can hold the storyline throughout. I hope that it becomes more clear and is developed with less "white noise," as I thought this story was good but had a lot of misdirection woven in.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is the first book in a new series. It certainly sets the scene for us, although in a most disturbing world. It is, however, quite fitting that a fashion magazine would be a good cover for such an operation.

At the heart of the story are Natalie and Luc – a mismatched pair, but clearly one that works for them... sort of. The level of secrecy and mistrust is such that I am not sure how it could ever really work, but no doubt Ms. Naughton plans on showing us in future books. I did find Natalie's ability to determine Luc's every mood by his eyes a little unbelievable at times, and then even when she did, she reacted in denial of what she saw. I get that she was a little (haha) out of her depth, but at some point, she had to trust her own eyes.

This was not really for me, but it is well written, and pages of it I loved, but then it got too dark or twisted, or I became frustrated with bad decisions. I do believe that we will get more clarity as we go forward, but for now, I am stuck in uncertainty.

First, let me tell you that this story definitely has a cliffhanger and it is my understanding that it will take 3 books for the author to tell readers the whole story. That being said, let’s get to the review of the first House of Sin story - Forbidden:

Elizabeth Naughton always creates wonderful characters full of depth and characteristics that ensure that readers really want to get to know them and learn their stories, so you can be sure that while this book is different from her other paranormal or romantic suspense stories, the characters will captivate you from the very beginning and hold you hostage until the end. There is wonderful electrifying chemistry between the hero and heroine and the story if full of anticipation building suspense that keeps readers engaged and on the edge of their seats with twists and turns to keep them guessing.

Although, I must say that I found Forbidden to be a bit on the slow side in regards to the pace of the story, the House of Sin serial is off to a great start as I was completely caught up in the events taking place and getting to know the characters, so I am definitley looking forward to reading the rest of the story, luckily the release schedule means I don’t have to wait too long in between the three parts, so until next time….

not exactly my jam, unfortunately. this is my first book by this author, i'd heard good things so when i saw it on netgalley i requested it. i definitely expected it to be more BDSM/dark than the books i normally read, but i ended up skimming a good portion of those scenes because they got boring. natalie was infuriating, i liked luc at first, especially his POV but then in her POV he annoyed me and then towards the end he really annoyed me. i knew it ended on a cliffhanger and i didn't mind because i figured i'd just read the second when it came out, but i don't think i will now. maybe it would have done better as one book rather than a trilogy, for me anyway. but overall, sorry, just not my jam. if you're into books like these, perhaps you will like it. the writing was good, but the story and characters just didn't click for me.

Natalie is off to New York to find out what happened to her friend Laney, she was told it was a drug overdose but Natalie doesn’t believe it. Luc is the acting CEO of covet and only doing it because of his father. Laney worked at Covet and Natalie thinks the answers she is looking for are there with Luc and his brother Gio. Will she discover the truth or regret staying? This is a fast-paced read and quite the roller coaster ride. I was hooked from beginning to end. The story has loads of suspense and drama and the chemistry between Natalie and Luc is intense and steamy. I loved it and so looking forward to more!

This review can be found on the Wickedcoolflight Blog at :https://wickedcoolflight.net/2018/04/25/congratulations-to-elisabeth-naughton-on-her-new-series-house-of-sin-forbidden-released-today-and-fly-girl-has-a-first-review/

WOW, not sure what to say after that word.  This book was moving.  I haven't been this moved since Infraction by Rachel Van Dyken.  This book made me rethink a few things about sexual relationships that up to now I'd never considered.  I think based on all my other reviews most people know I'm not a role playing, BDSM, or even a Dom/Sub fan.  So this book attracted me by the mystery and it is Elisabeth Naughton, which I've read several of her books, all prior to writing for WCF, and loved.

A few notes up front about her writing.  She writes very intense characters and her mystery always builds until the last 25% of the book.  So this one was no different on those two topics.  I'm not going to give any spoilers, so keep reading.  It will be worth it.  The difference in this book is that the mystery focuses around a sexual cult and Dominant-Submissive relationships.  I mean complete compliance by the women in the relationship.  

I'm glad I didn't realize this was the main theme when I decided to read it because I probably would have passed.  Natalie and Luc's relationship starts out with him trying to dominate her and turn her into a sub, but as the story progresses, they end up changing one another's minds to the relationship constraints.  But the interesting part is how Elisabeth develops this with the inner dialogue of each character.  It is so intense and revealing, that I may not be so adverse to the dom/sub relationship between partners.  She breaks it down to the basic level and describes how each behavior actually strengthens and conveys the love in the relationship without it being spoken.  Also, the dom position she describes isn't used to bring pain and satisfy only one side, it really is about enhancing the sexual tension to create a higher-high, if you will. 

Ok, too deep.  Just read it, you might change your mind too.  OH, I almost forgot the mystery element.  The mystery is also very good.  I simply can't wait until the next book is out.  Please let me get to read it before it releases.  I'm dying to know what happens.  So I'm obviously giving this 5 of 5 propellers.  This one will stay with me for a very long time.  Elisabeth, thank you so much for letting me read this and I am in awe of your prose.  Please keep them coming, we'd be happy to read them any day any time.

Forbidden (House of Sin, #1) by Elisabeth Naughton is a romantic mystery/thriller that is the first of a three part series. The author went with a little bit darker and edgier storyline. I give it a 3.5 star rating. The story is intriguing but not consuming. The writing, as always with this author, is fabulous as the story continues along at a steady pace. Natalie, the main female character, comes off as impetuous more than innocent. I'm not sure if that is the author's intent. I didn't really catch her age other than she is young. I liked Luc's character more so, mainly because he offers the element of mystery. I can say I've read dark and edgy stories before and this one didn't draw me in enough. Since it is the first of a three part series, it provided more of a foundation for the following books. Thank you to Netgalley and Season Publishing for providing a copy to review. Look for Deceived (House of Sin,#2) releasing next month. If you like this author's Stolen Series or Eternal Guardians Series, give this one a try.

From New York Times Bestselling and RITA Award-winning author Elisabeth Naughton, the first book in the House of Sin Series.

She has no idea what lurks behind the forbidden doors of the House of Sin...

He is temptation. Forbidden fruit. A craving I can’t seem to resist.

I went after him in search of answers, certain he had blood on his hands. Now I’ve fallen prey to his seductive looks and commanding charisma.

I know he is a threat. He's entwined in a dangerous world I don't understand. But even that doesn’t stop me from aching for his touch, for the taste of his wicked lips.

Before I can truly surrender to the fire smoldering between us, I need to know more. I have to see behind the doors he keeps firmly locked.

I need to discover what he's hiding in the shadowy world known as the House of Sin...

Review:
First, this ends in a cliffhanger because book two in the trilogy comes out in two weeks. Just wanted to let others know because I know it bugs some people.

Second, I cannot wait for part two, Deceived.

Now to the story. I do not want to give away all the plot points so this might be kind of vague. Natalie is out to find out who killed the sister of her heart, so she travels to New York City to get into the world of high fashion to find the killer and get justice for her friend. When she gets there everything and everyone is not what they seem. She meets Luc, (who comes off as a world class jerk) who is the head of the fashion house Natalie's friend worked at. A chain of events lead to Natalie being Luc's personal assistant and that is where things really start getting interesting. Again, the Author does a great job of being mysterious with the characters and plot. The story is very dark, sexy and had me on edge throughout. That's it, that is all you get because you really need to read it without me giving away things.

I am very excited to read the next installment, come on May 15th.

4.5Stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the Publisher.*

Wow !!! Totally unlike anything the author has written before ! Dark , captivating , heart stopping.... I can hardly find the words to describe this book. Dominance and submission and BDSM has never been of interest to me , but those are definite themes in Forbidden. That being said, I couldn’t stop reading this book. The characters and story grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Even knowing this was only book one and would end in a cliffhanger,which I usually hate! , I was captivated by it. Elisabeth Naughton is a master , and I’ve loved reading her for years. Forbidden is on that list , even though it’s not my usual! Can’t wait for the next one !

A departure in writing for Ms. Naughton. Forbidden is the first in a 3 book series. This had a slow buildup for me, however things picked up when Luc and Natalie got together. They had great chemistry. I would classify this as romantic suspense. Cliffhanger ending. Looking forward to book 2. ARC provided by author and Netgalley for an honest review.

Luc and Natalie are the kind of couple I'd label as 'unexpected'. Coming from completely different backgrounds, socially, culturally and financially, one could hardly expect them to get together. And Luc doesn't want her anywhere near his world. But Natalie is determined to get her foot in the door in Luc's modeling agency 'Covet' because she absolutely must know what happened to her best friend Elena. In order to keep her safe, he at first refuses her internship application then takes her on as a personal assistant once he realizes that Gio, his debauched brother is weaving his depraved web around her.

A trip to Italy makes him realize the attraction is not only mutual but that Natalie has all the power. In spite of being independent and difficult to control, she holds his heart in the palm of her hand and that is when he becomes the biggest danger to her safety. Because his father has plans for him and they most definitely do not include making Natalie a part of his life.

I cannot wait for the second book. The very beginning grabbed my attention. I'm in love with this series.