Prohibited Passion

Bandit Creek #10

by Alyssa Linn Palmer

This sensual romance brings you right into the middle of Prohibition... Ruth wants to escape the boredom of Bandit Creek and the strict expectations of her father, the local pastor. Her life changes the day she meets CeeCee, a world-wise flapper, and an irresistible attraction develops between them. She’ll be disowned and shunned if anyone discovers their prohibited passion, but can they keep their growing affection a secret? CeeCee is drawn to Ruth, but things become complicated when her gangster companion disapproves of their liaison. He’s in town to broker a deal with the owner of the local speakeasy, and he’s not above using them to further his own plans. Can CeeCee protect Ruth and their budding relationship? As Ruth gets drawn further into their world, she must decide between her familiar life and a new, dangerous path with the woman she loves. (A 20,000 word novella.) Praise for works by Alyssa Linn "She writes dark and elegant. I love everything of hers I've ever read." - Tiffany Reisz, author of THE SIREN and SEVEN DAY LOAN "I love this book! In using the prohibition era for a setting, Palmer takes her novella to the next level, creating a metaphor for things forbidden. Not only alcohol, but the heroine's love for another woman. The sex scenes are sensual and advance the plot. And the historic atmosphere is impeccable." - Donna, Amazon reviewer (for Prohibited Passion)

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBT

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2012

About the author

Alyssa Linn Palmer writes romantic noir, lesbian romance, and a variety of short stories. Her novel Betting on Love was a finalist for the Rainbow Awards in 2015, and in 2016, her novel Midnight at the Orpheus won a Rainbow Award for best bisexual fiction. Find her works at alyssalinnpalmer.com and all the usual online retailers.

Reviews

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a romance than an erotic. Major points for that. I'm not into more sex than story. I thought the story to sex ratio was perfect. The characters were engaging and realistic though the romance was a tad rushed.

Major thumbs up for uniqueness. A f/f romance in a town and a time that didn't tolerate such things. The sideline story is bootlegging/thugs. You got a minister's daughter, Ruth, who knows she's different (I'd have liked this dwelled on more.) and she immediately falls for a woman passing through with her gangster boyfriend. Gangster boyfriend gets mad and forces Ruth to help him with his bootlegging operation. Things go seriously wrong...
Full review on:http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2012/...

[Andrea Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella (approx 52 pages) is definitely something different for me. Its lesbian historical fiction. As you might guess from the title it is set during the prohibition era

Ruth is the pastor's daughter who longs for something more. CeeCee is flapper from Chicago who has a boyfriend who is a gangster. It is easy to see that there will be conflict her. The good vs the evil. Plus a relationship that isn't quite the thing.

Their relationship develops but things in life conspire against them.

The sex scenes are more sensual then scandalous. That worked well here. The relationship between the two women was definitely believable. I'm just sad that they couldn't be together.

This was a great bedside read. (Actually because it was so short I read it on my computer, something I almost never do). It did leave me wanting to know more about Ruth and what will happen to her and her father the preacher. He wasn't painted in a good light, but he didn't seem all bad, just as the gangster, Sheridan couldn't have been all bad, I only wish this would have been a full length, so we could have learned more about the characters.

[Donna Tunney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy "Boardwalk Empire", you're going to love "Prohibited Passion" by novelist Alyssa Linn Palmer.

Set in 1929, in the fictional Montana town of Bandit Creek, we meet Ruth, a pastor's daughter, who dreams of a life that offers more than baking bread and reading scriptures.

Enter CeeCee, the intoxicating flapper, who gives Ruth a taste of adventure, drawing her into a world of speakeasies, and of a passion forbidden by the morals of the day. A passion that comes with danger in the form of CeeCee's rum-running, gangster lover, who's threatened by the bond between the two women.

I love this book! In using the prohibition era for a setting, Palmer takes her novella to the next level, creating a metaphor for things forbidden. Not only alcohol, but the heroine's love for another woman. The sex scenes are sensual and advance the plot. And the historic atmosphere is impeccable.

"Prohibited Passion" is a smart, sexy read. I wish I had more stars to give it.

[Anne Trager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads is neat because you stumble upon things that perhaps you would never find otherwise. That is the case here. I'm totally outside my usual reading habits here--I never read novellas, I never read anything other than crime fiction and thrillers, and this is a short historical love story, or more of a coming of age story that is well structured, titillating even, and comes neatly to an end. I enjoyed the sense of place and era, that is well conveyed in the story, enough to make me thankful we live in an time of greater freedom, and the author builds believable characters quickly and efficiently.

[Katie O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there anything more heart wrenching than a love that is forbidden? Prohibited Passion follows Ruth as she finds the love she was seeking and finds the strength to defy her domineering father. Ruth’s plight will make you rejoice and make you weep. Palmer’s prose is descriptive, and moving, drawing you right into the world of 1929 Bandit Creek. You’ll think you were there. Don’t forget the tissue when you settle in to read this touching story.

[Michelle Beattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's not my usual genre, but it had the right mix of emotion, poignancy and realism to make it a captivating story. The time period of the Prohibition added another layer that leaves it lingering in your mind long after you've read the book.

[A.M. Westerling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alyssa Linn Palmer brings the Prohibition era to life with this fast paced novella about clandestine love. It's part of the Bandit Creek Series. www.banditcreekbooks.com

[LVLMLeah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don’t know how to categorize this book. I enjoyed it, but it’s not really a romance per se. It’s more like a coming out/of age lesbian fiction story.

Ruth feels stifled and trapped in her life. Her mother has passed away and she is all her preacher father has. She takes care of him and the house as was what women were expected to do in those days and is expected to act as a proper preacher’s daughter should. She’s of an age that young men are coming around to court her, ones that will take over the position of church preacher when her father retires, but she has no interest in that. Instead she dreams of a life outside, free of all these constraints and full of new experiences.

While shopping in town, she casually glances through the cafe window and sees a beautiful woman sitting alone, clearly a stranger in town. She’s mesmerized by this woman, the way she’s dressed, her beauty. This woman, CeeCee, happens to notice her looking and see’s something about Ruth that attracts her. She’s so much like someone she once knew, someone she loved.

CeeCee ends up inviting Ruth to a speakeasy, something Ruth feels rather uncomfortable about due to how things would look for her father if she were caught, but is so enthralled by CeeCee she goes. This catapults Ruth into a whole new world and helps her discover things about herself she didn’t know about.

Ruth responds easily to CeeCee’s advances even if she’s shy. CeeCee represents just the new and exciting that Ruth craves. However, there’s a kink in the budding love between CeeCee and Ruth, Sheirdan, CeeCee’s busisness partner/boyfriend/controller.

Sheridan is not happy that Ruth, the preacher’s daughter, has been brought there and makes it known is clear and on aggressive terms. This creates tension in all of them.

What was kind of weird for me in this story was how easily CeeCee moves between Sheridan and Ruth. I didn’t quite get her relationship with Sheridan. They have a sort of business relationship in which CeeCee is used to seduce costumers into buying the bootleg booze from Sheridan. He seems to have a lot of control over her both physically and emotionally, which he exercises somewhat violently at times. But at the same time, they also have a comfortable sexual relationship, which she openly enjoys. CeeCee, however, begs Sheridan on a regular basis to allow her to get with Ruth, which he tries to dissuade at every turn.

Clearly CeeCee is bisexual and in a somewhat co-dependent relationship with Sheridan. I got CeeCee’s attraction to Ruth and that she wanted to have something with her, however, it was all set up to be doomed as long as Sheridan was involved and she kept working as a bootlegger, something she seemed to have a hard time walking away from for a reason we don’t know.

Although not a romance that follows the rules of romance, the author did manage to infuse a lot of loving energy between the women. The sex scenes were nicely written even if not too graphic and the setting felt authentic to the time period as well.

Mainly this is a story about Ruth’s journey from being small town sheltered girl to having the courage to go for what she wants and to be who she is. This is what her relationship with CeeCee gives her.

Heat level: 2-3- sensual sex scenes, not too graphically written.

[moxieBK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book #10 in Bandit Creek....?

I put a question mark after this "series" because I just found out it was a book in a series! I did not know that! This is the second book I read by the author, and I was certain this one was going to be as good as that one, or at least on par. Is it? Well, read on. Ruth and CeeCee live in the 1920's. Ruth's father is a pastor, and Ruth is struggling with her feelings. She wants to escape her small town; CeeCee looks like the most convenient person to help me. I enjoy reading lesbian romances set in a historical time periods. The blurb sounded interesting. And I really enjoyed it. not see that coming! If you like period lesbian stories, this one might be for you. However, it took me on an emotional roller coaster, that left me a little breathless at the end. Not at all what I as expecting. Significantly different from the first book I read from this author. At least it was a super-fast read!

[Rae Storey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story is dull and unrealistic in so many ways. The characters are flat and colorless, and I disn't give a flying fig about any of them. Emotions are so fake and any attempt at chemistry is contrived. I only made it through 59% of the book and had to give up.