Forbidden: Reluctant Series # 2 by Marla Josephs
Hot and sexy landlord, sweet beautiful new tenant under the same roof - what could go wrong??
I loved watching this story unfold. I was drawn in one the first page. There were moments I laughed and times I truly felt for both characters. Then there were the shockers, the moments that literally made me do a double take and re read to make sure I read what I had read. lol Each work, each page kept you intrigued and wanting to know what was going to happen next. I honestly could not get enough. This was one of those books that I started getting mad at my family because they kept interrupting me through and I had to go hide away in the tub so no one would disturb me again. lol Marla Josephs has written a great book that made me smile, laugh, shocked me, and melted my heart.
Reviewed by Michelle Thompson
Michelle's GoodReads Reviews
Kristin Hinkle's Review
Forbidden by Marla Josephs is a romantic story after my own heart. A story that captures the girl next door image wonderfully for the character Savina. Savina is a very relatable character for me in this story as she has so many over protective brothers and is the only daughter. Personally, I could feel the love, mothering and irritation she had at times for her siblings as I am the exact same with three brothers of my own while being the only daughter.
You never know where love will turn up. That was something that struck me while reading. In Savina and Shelton’s case it turns up when he becomes her landlord after her father rents the upstairs at Shelton’s for her. The pull and attraction Savina and Shelton felt for each other felt so natural to me. The way the drift from side ways glances on to friends and then forward was not the cliche it was it’s own. Marla Josephs was very careful and well thought out this story to keep it so simple, but not ending up with the run of the mill cliche.
“Forbidden” is a light romance that will even pull out a few laughs along the way. I couldn’t help but to roll laughing at the assumption Shelton made of all the males Savina had following her around while not knowing about her brood of dominating brothers. I even felt the embarrsment when he felt the need to confront her out of fear for her safety and jealousy that he poorly hidden.
With the story centering around the two main characters it makes for a lovely and realistically written story. The way they bond over food and television reminded me of my own current relationship. I even felt the awkward moments they had since they are moments every new founded friendship has between opposite sexes who are secretly attracted to each other.
This is the second book I have read written by Marla Josephs. It is also the second book in The Reluctant series. The author writes this story beautifully and doesn’t disappoint at all. She grasps the realistic sides of the story and runs with it. I recommend this book and encourage it as a book to read over a weekend so there is no worries of being disturbed.
I was provided a copy of this book by the author for my honest review.
Judith Rook's review
One is taken quickly into the events of Forbidden: A Reluctant Series Novel by Marla Josephs; in other words, one is hooked. There’s something immediately attractive about the story; about the goodness, the reality, the honesty of ordinary life which it depicts.
Particularly interesting is that in this book ordinary life is busy and densely populated. Around the two protagonists and one or two secondary characters, there is an absolute cloud of other people involved in the storyline. They are not like a chorus from a classic tragedy, commentators and interpreters of the action; they participate. In their contemporary and comfortable urban setting they ebb and flow according to the author’s need of them; they are essential to the development of the plot, but they are perhaps a little hard to follow. This character “busyness” may be difficult to absorb, particularly at the beginning of the book. However, once the reader has settled into this proliferation of persons the main action takes over, drawing the attention to the carefully and precisely worked out plot.
There have been so many stories written on this classic “girl and boy find each other and encounter difficulties” theme that one could hardly expect a greatly interesting variation on its presentation. However, Marla Josephs has done exactly that.
The attraction of this book is not so much the plot, although it is a good one and supports a pleasingly strong storyline, as the way in which the action is developed. Quite slowly, and with great attention to necessary detail, the author reveals the complexity of the relationship which builds between the protagonists. She does not take short cuts; she spends time laying out the emotional and intellectual reactions and responses of the characters. She ensures that the reader witnesses each small step along the road towards mutual understanding and acceptance. There is plenty of conflict in the novel but most of it is slightly bland in its effect. When the heroine needs to rid herself of her plague of male relatives she does so without aggravation. Of course, this is true to her character, but a little extra force would not have come amiss in this particular part of the storyline. Some also might argue that the action does not move along quickly enough and that the inclusion of a constant food interest can be distracting, but this author is highly skilled and she knows what she is doing; the meals are used both as a mirror, reflecting the nature of the characters, and also as a thread, drawing them gradually together. Despite its extensive insights into every corner of the developing relationship the action progresses in sharply defined peaks and troughs, carrying the interest forward and culminating in a surprising revelation which adds even more energy to the final outcome.
The main characters are particularly well developed. The author moves between two separate points of view with accomplished ease, creating thoroughly convincing people who quickly engage the attention. One may not agree with how they conduct themselves, why they seem incapable of the openness needed to support a growing relationship, but they are authentic and interesting and between them they create that happy condition where the reader begins to care genuinely about them and continues to the final and full working out of the situation.
Forbidden: A Reluctant Series Novel is a book to appeal to readers of Romance novels in general and to those who like to reflect on their reading experiences in particular. It does provoke thought and its impact will probably not end with the final word.
Having read the previous book in this series “Reluctant” I was looking forward to another enjoyable read with “easy to like” well-developed characters and I wasn’t disappointed. One reason is because the main male character was a minor one in the first book. I liked Shelton’s strength and values and the fact that he doubted himself. Ms Josephs has done a fantastic job of making Shelton real, not just some made-up character in a book.
Savina is the lead female and I enjoyed the story switching from her point of view to Shelton’s. I don’t think it would have worked if we could not see, hear and feel Savina’s thoughts as well as Shelton’s. This was particularly true when some unexpected incidents happened. I was as shocked as the characters when these events unfolded and was glad I knew what was going on inside each of their heads.
Lorriane Loveit's Review
Having read the previous book in this series “Reluctant” I was looking forward to another enjoyable read with “easy to like” well-developed characters and I wasn’t disappointed. One reason is because the main male character was a minor one in the first book. I liked Shelton’s strength and values and the fact that he doubted himself. Ms. Josephs has done a fantastic job of making Shelton real, not just some made-up character in a book.
Savina is the lead female and I enjoyed the story switching from her point of view to Shelton’s. I don’t think it would have worked if we could not see, hear and feel Savina’s thoughts as well as Shelton’s. This was particularly true when some unexpected incidents happened. I was as shocked as the characters when these events unfolded and was glad I knew what was going on inside each of their heads.
Forbidden was full of emotion and passion. I liked Fallon, Shelton’s cousin from the first book, popping in and out of this one. It kept the connection between the series real and up to date. I am keen to know if Ms. Jospehs will continue with a third book featuring Sergio, Savina’s half-brother. His character seems interesting and I would love to get inside his head. Please Ms. Josephs, bring him to life in a book of his own.
Three Ways of Desire by Judith Rook
