THE FORBIDDEN by JODI ELLEN MALPAS

“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.