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Forbidden
"I haven't come back into your life, James," Caroline said. She was shocked to discover that the position she had accepted as governess was the in the home of the man she had spent six years trying to forget.
Aware that nothing had really changed, that he could still create havoc with her life, Caroline's first instinct was to flee.
Then she found herself trapped - by his daughter's need of her and by the demands of his invalid wife. And by her own need of James!
Aware that nothing had really changed, that he could still create havoc with her life, Caroline's first instinct was to flee.
Then she found herself trapped - by his daughter's need of her and by the demands of his invalid wife. And by her own need of James!
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
4 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Anne Mather
798 books358 followersAnne Mather is the pseudonym used by Mildred Grieveson, a popular British author of over 160 romance novels. She also signed novels as Caroline Fleming and Cardine Fleming.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
will-never-read
January 12, 2018I REALLY do not want to read a "romance" novel where the H already has a wife who uses her disabled status to F with every other character's lives. Added to that is a p***y whipped "hero" and a "heroine" who screws him while hoping he'll leave his bitchy wife. Better to watch a soap opera than read this shit. Fuck NO. There are lots of other guys out there in romancelandia. Sometimes Anne Mather's storylines just make me shake my f*****g head. I acknowledge that there is a complex variety of love stories out there but I like to keep things neat and simple in my sentimental heart. Now I know why I don't even bother with her books anymore. NOPE. NADA. NEVER.
December 10, 2021
Not so good.
The hero is married to the paraplegic from hell. His wife had an accident 16 years before and almost lost her child, for her idiotic behavior.
He met the 18 yo heroine 10 years after his wife had her accident and almost persuaded her to have an affair with him because he would never leave his bitch of a wife.
The hero never slept with his wife - and to any other woman- after her accident. 16 years of useless celibacy that doesn’t impress me at all. Me, the fan of celibate heroes. Does that mean something?
This woman is the female version of the villain in 007, the paralyzed one with the white cat.
She manages to take the heroine back and to employ her as her daughter’s governess only to torture her husband.
She deceives everyone and still the idiot hero doesn’t want to leave her and ask for divorce until the very end because he’s worried for his daughter.
His daughter is 16 and I think she’s old enough to understand that her parents hate each other.
It’s not true that children needs their parents to be married.
Children need their parents to be happy.
So if he really was in love with the heroine he could have talked to his daughter explaining his situation and asked his wife a divorce.
Instead he’s jealous of every man the heroine dates bu he doesn’t do anything to commit himself to her.
He only asks her to marry him when his wife is dead.
What a coward.
Oh and he uses his hand to clean himself after he drank his beer. Mmmmm…
Classy.
The hero is married to the paraplegic from hell. His wife had an accident 16 years before and almost lost her child, for her idiotic behavior.
He met the 18 yo heroine 10 years after his wife had her accident and almost persuaded her to have an affair with him because he would never leave his bitch of a wife.
The hero never slept with his wife - and to any other woman- after her accident. 16 years of useless celibacy that doesn’t impress me at all. Me, the fan of celibate heroes. Does that mean something?
This woman is the female version of the villain in 007, the paralyzed one with the white cat.
She manages to take the heroine back and to employ her as her daughter’s governess only to torture her husband.
She deceives everyone and still the idiot hero doesn’t want to leave her and ask for divorce until the very end because he’s worried for his daughter.
His daughter is 16 and I think she’s old enough to understand that her parents hate each other.
It’s not true that children needs their parents to be married.
Children need their parents to be happy.
So if he really was in love with the heroine he could have talked to his daughter explaining his situation and asked his wife a divorce.
Instead he’s jealous of every man the heroine dates bu he doesn’t do anything to commit himself to her.
He only asks her to marry him when his wife is dead.
What a coward.
Oh and he uses his hand to clean himself after he drank his beer. Mmmmm…
Classy.
August 9, 2021
Well, this was a fun ride! I don't tend to read a lot by Anne Mather even though I did back in the late 70's. For some reason, her current books don't work for me. But some of her older HP's - like this one- are classics. She really has no problem pushing the envelope especially around infidelity. So if that happens to be a hot button for you, stay away from this one.
This was a mixture of "Jane Eyre", "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and "Halloween" all wrapped into one. This dude's wife was one scary chick, and her twisted mind set everyone up to fall like ninepins.
This was a mixture of "Jane Eyre", "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and "Halloween" all wrapped into one. This dude's wife was one scary chick, and her twisted mind set everyone up to fall like ninepins.
June 4, 2020
What a sensual thrill of a roller coaster "Forbidden" is,and it lives up to its name. Many people disliked this book because of its sensitive plot,but i will explain why i have given this book 5-stars.I did after all,fall irresistibly in love with this book for these reasons.I also admit that i can be a selfish bitch when it comes to romance,because i only care about Hs and hs when i read them,and i can stand the cheating on other people,but i would kill blood if Hero ever cheated on his heroine,or if a heroine ever cheated on her hero.You know...there are rules in love-stories in my part,and i stick to them.
The hero in this tale, the rugged tycoon James Booth is married to a woman he doesn`t love,and she definitely doesn`t love him either.They have a cold and distant marriage,but are bound to their teenage daughter,Laura.He is not a man to be unfaithful just for the satisfaction of it,he doesn`t have that in him.Even the people around him thinks he is abnormal for not straying knowing his wife is a cripple.And even if she were not, their marriage would have been dead long ago.James soon meets his heroine,the beautiful governess Caroline Douglas and falls irrevocably in love with her.This man was starved for love,and for him to love her in return...as he explained:it was something out of his control and something he would succumb to.He relentlessly wooed her,and made her fall into his arms.She was 18 back then,while they did kiss,they never made love..which was because of Caroline`s control.But James situation was more complicated than that,fearing that his wife would refuse divorce and take his daughter away from him-which she also would have done,that woman was sick!
But in Caroline`s mind, she understood this..but also thought James was using her for his "needs" and leaves him.I love that James have been celibate( he always had lived a celibate life before his wife`s accident)and always hid the memories of Caroline deep in his heart.And when she comes back as governess 6 years later for his daughter-tension and sparks spirals out of control between James and Caroline...it was just so romantic watching these two suffer for longing and love for each other.And mind you guys,James isn`t a man who crazily needs sex when it comes to Caroline,she is after all the one and only love of his life...what he ever needed was love from her,and that was what i truly appreciated about his character.Anne Mather is truly a master-talent in her genre,this is one of my favourites for sure!
"Six years is a long time. I was sure you'd have married by now - had a family of your own. I had no right to ask you to wait six years ago, even if you'd been prepared to do so."
"Oh, James!"
"For God's sake, Caroline, don't look at me like that. You don't know the torment you've put me through these past weeks. I don't know how much more I can stand."
His lips twisted bitterly. "But I suppose you get a certain satisfaction out of parading your conquests before me!"
"James, you don't understand—"
"I understand that you're hurting me - for whatever reason," he retorted harshly.
-James and Caroline
The hero in this tale, the rugged tycoon James Booth is married to a woman he doesn`t love,and she definitely doesn`t love him either.They have a cold and distant marriage,but are bound to their teenage daughter,Laura.He is not a man to be unfaithful just for the satisfaction of it,he doesn`t have that in him.Even the people around him thinks he is abnormal for not straying knowing his wife is a cripple.And even if she were not, their marriage would have been dead long ago.James soon meets his heroine,the beautiful governess Caroline Douglas and falls irrevocably in love with her.This man was starved for love,and for him to love her in return...as he explained:it was something out of his control and something he would succumb to.He relentlessly wooed her,and made her fall into his arms.She was 18 back then,while they did kiss,they never made love..which was because of Caroline`s control.But James situation was more complicated than that,fearing that his wife would refuse divorce and take his daughter away from him-which she also would have done,that woman was sick!
But in Caroline`s mind, she understood this..but also thought James was using her for his "needs" and leaves him.I love that James have been celibate( he always had lived a celibate life before his wife`s accident)and always hid the memories of Caroline deep in his heart.And when she comes back as governess 6 years later for his daughter-tension and sparks spirals out of control between James and Caroline...it was just so romantic watching these two suffer for longing and love for each other.And mind you guys,James isn`t a man who crazily needs sex when it comes to Caroline,she is after all the one and only love of his life...what he ever needed was love from her,and that was what i truly appreciated about his character.Anne Mather is truly a master-talent in her genre,this is one of my favourites for sure!
"Six years is a long time. I was sure you'd have married by now - had a family of your own. I had no right to ask you to wait six years ago, even if you'd been prepared to do so."
"Oh, James!"
"For God's sake, Caroline, don't look at me like that. You don't know the torment you've put me through these past weeks. I don't know how much more I can stand."
His lips twisted bitterly. "But I suppose you get a certain satisfaction out of parading your conquests before me!"
"James, you don't understand—"
"I understand that you're hurting me - for whatever reason," he retorted harshly.
-James and Caroline
August 12, 2016
really like it ! but i dunno if it's the kind of situation we can encourage in real life. was the heroine actually the heroine ? the hero actually the hero? n was the villain indeed the villain ? 6 years ago, caroline knew james was married yet she pursued her relationship wid him in the hope he wud leave his wife ? can we actually say caroline is a heroine !? let's compare wid A Perfect Marriage! infidelity is no light issue n shud not be encouraged. james's wife was handicapped n james had certain needs. ok u dunt love ur wife n u want 2 satisfy ur needs, divorce her. dunt go on like dat!
June 26, 2019
Finally read this book that everyone else seems to have already read. Do you all feel that storylines were wider ranging back in the "old days?" This story was written back in 1976. First it seems that it was possible to be alpha without being a billionaire then. Which IRL is totally true. And also stories about adultery? Just seems like romance readers have no tolerance for even a hint of that is stories nowadays. I'm not saying I'm a fan of adultery IRL but I don't mind reading a well crafted story where these issues are explored. I will say that I'm enough of a romantic that I prefer that the person being cheated on is not my heroine but if it's a well crafted thoughtfully presented story with a HEA of course, I am willing to read it.
This one was pretty well crafted I think.
So anyway I really enjoy Anne Mather which is just as well since she has such a huge backlist. Plenty to read and enjoy!
This one was pretty well crafted I think.
So anyway I really enjoy Anne Mather which is just as well since she has such a huge backlist. Plenty to read and enjoy!
August 28, 2016
The hero and heroine had a brief affair not knowing the hero was married. Years later when applying for a position as a governess, she finds the hero again and his crippled/disabled wife. The heroine is taking care of his daughter and is terribly hurt and feels used by the hero. Eventually the bitter wife dies and the hero searches out the heroine, the only woman he has truly ever loved.
Great read, I enjoyed it. It was an emotional rollercoaster.
Great read, I enjoyed it. It was an emotional rollercoaster.
October 11, 2025
Good. Intense. Married hero which was perfect, you don't get many of those and it's well written. He felt human and messed up.
September 23, 2012
Maybe just 2.5 stars. I didn't love the premise of this one -- even if the hero's wife was mean, she had still had plenty of hardships and it just seemed wrong for the hero to cheat on her. Leaving that aside, I didn't think the hero and heroine had enough interactions to make this a good romance. Way too much plot, not enough focus on the H/h relationship.
May 19, 2025
“Forbidden” is the story of Caroline and James.
Tw: cheating in a marriage
Heroine is hired as a nanny to a teenage girl. Little does she know, said girl is the daughter to the man she once was in love with.. or that her hiring was by his disabled wife.
Thus begins a convoluted tale of yearning, forbidden glances, loads of OM drama, scheming exes, petulant children and a happy ending.
The hero’s ex was scheming, the hero was in love but trapped, and the heroine was confused. I did like that they didn’t cross lines while the hero was married even though he definitely wanted to. Had a predictable but nice ending.
Unsafe
2.75/5
Tw: cheating in a marriage
Heroine is hired as a nanny to a teenage girl. Little does she know, said girl is the daughter to the man she once was in love with.. or that her hiring was by his disabled wife.
Thus begins a convoluted tale of yearning, forbidden glances, loads of OM drama, scheming exes, petulant children and a happy ending.
The hero’s ex was scheming, the hero was in love but trapped, and the heroine was confused. I did like that they didn’t cross lines while the hero was married even though he definitely wanted to. Had a predictable but nice ending.
Unsafe
2.75/5
January 3, 2014
hated the hero, married to a hateful woman trapped in a wheelchair who mistreats just about everyone, she finds out that several years ago her husband fell in love with a younger woman , so to get back at them she brings her to "tutor" the hero and the wifes daughter where she manipulates everything from her wheelchair, miscommunications, mistreatments and manipulates the story.... heroine is a idiot, hero is a void, the best character is the wife...and she is nuts... love anne mather (second book ever of hers that i hated)
Want to read
June 8, 2017"Amante prohibida"
May 24, 2023
Deliciously tormented jealous married hero ✔️
Sweet and beautiful virginal heroine in love with said hero ✔️
Evil scheming paraplegic wife ✔️
16 year old plot moppet ✔️
Crazy Angst ✔️
Sexual tension ✔️
Forbidden love✔️
Convenient death ✔️
Anne Mather out did herself! Would have been 5 stars if the hero actually stood up to his evil wife and did something to secure his happiness!
Sweet and beautiful virginal heroine in love with said hero ✔️
Evil scheming paraplegic wife ✔️
16 year old plot moppet ✔️
Crazy Angst ✔️
Sexual tension ✔️
Forbidden love✔️
Convenient death ✔️
Anne Mather out did herself! Would have been 5 stars if the hero actually stood up to his evil wife and did something to secure his happiness!
June 11, 2024
This was a sad and angsty old HQN where the OW was actually the main female. The protagonist in this book was truly not of sound mine (but that only made the book better)
It was a good read with an odd HEA but an HEA it was!
It was a good read with an odd HEA but an HEA it was!
January 17, 2025
It's not a bad read, but the hero was contradictory and a jerk. He wouldn't leave his disabled but unloving and bitchy wife, but he wouldn't mind taking a girl's virginity and making her his mistress. OK, he loved and wanted her badly, but something in his overall behavior didn't ring true. It is a good read though, embellished with the passion and intensity that Anne Mather usually delivers.
December 22, 2018
With the exception of Laura, they were all idiots. What a stupid book.
January 1, 2017
OMG! This book!
From the very beginning I was drawn in. By the end of the first chapter, I had to fight the urge to peek at the last chapter cause I just needed to know how it would end!
I abhor adultery but in his case had it truly happened I'd have been okay with it. The H was married to a disabled woman who was calculating, mean and vindictive. There were no appealing qualities to this woman.
The h is a sweet young thing who is in love with a married man. He promises that he loves her too and will eventually leave his wife to be with her. The wife hires the h to come tutor their daughter without the H's knowledge.
That woman is an enigma through most of the book. She seems sweet enough, but you know that she's scheming.
This book was an amazing read. I felt so sorry for the h and somewhat less so for the H. He was way to cliche trying to get it in with the nanny! Lol I was so engrossed that it wasn't until the end did I realize that there was no sex, just some kissing.
This was such a wonderful read. I didn't know who to hate and who I wanted to sympathize with. I will read this again.
From the very beginning I was drawn in. By the end of the first chapter, I had to fight the urge to peek at the last chapter cause I just needed to know how it would end!
I abhor adultery but in his case had it truly happened I'd have been okay with it. The H was married to a disabled woman who was calculating, mean and vindictive. There were no appealing qualities to this woman.
The h is a sweet young thing who is in love with a married man. He promises that he loves her too and will eventually leave his wife to be with her. The wife hires the h to come tutor their daughter without the H's knowledge.
That woman is an enigma through most of the book. She seems sweet enough, but you know that she's scheming.
This book was an amazing read. I felt so sorry for the h and somewhat less so for the H. He was way to cliche trying to get it in with the nanny! Lol I was so engrossed that it wasn't until the end did I realize that there was no sex, just some kissing.
This was such a wonderful read. I didn't know who to hate and who I wanted to sympathize with. I will read this again.
Read
September 21, 2019I don't really get why some of the readers are so upset. The H didn't love his evil wife, he didn't divorce her because he didn't want to lose his daughter. It's understandable to me. The H never cheated on her, if I was in his place I would cheat on her like hell. His wife didn't deserve his faithfulness. If the H had been in a wheelchair I am sure that she would have cheated on him and even got a divorce without any conscience.
August 2, 2021
Can’t say when I’ve disliked a heroine more. I just couldn’t understand her motivations. She herself doesn’t seem to know what she wants.
Not one of Anne Mather’s best.
This could have made a good story.
Believe it or not, I felt love and passion were totally lacking on both sides. Specially from the heroines side.
She just wants to have a good time. That’s what I understood.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
Not one of Anne Mather’s best.
This could have made a good story.
Believe it or not, I felt love and passion were totally lacking on both sides. Specially from the heroines side.
She just wants to have a good time. That’s what I understood.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
Read
March 22, 2014Did not enjoy the story only because I can't stand cheating. James is married to someone else the entire book, ugh I believe the love he had for Caroline was real and the evil wife was over the top but it wasn't enough to keep me interested.
July 17, 2025
Vintage Love Story (1976):
Can’t help but hold one’s breath as the story unfolds with an intriguing plot where 2 highly principled individuals find themselves irresistibly attracted to each other but resisted to succumb to their desires.
This is well written in that the reader feels the agony of both Hero And Heroine as they struggle in their love and unhappiness faced with the hopelessness of their situation. What rapture to love and be loved and what agony to know that to be together is hopeless. This has the signature stamp of Anne Mather romance - a plot of extenuating circumstances and froth with sexual tension between Hero and Heroine. Romantic Bliss (Sigh).
CYA’58
Can’t help but hold one’s breath as the story unfolds with an intriguing plot where 2 highly principled individuals find themselves irresistibly attracted to each other but resisted to succumb to their desires.
This is well written in that the reader feels the agony of both Hero And Heroine as they struggle in their love and unhappiness faced with the hopelessness of their situation. What rapture to love and be loved and what agony to know that to be together is hopeless. This has the signature stamp of Anne Mather romance - a plot of extenuating circumstances and froth with sexual tension between Hero and Heroine. Romantic Bliss (Sigh).
CYA’58
January 11, 2018
171- أرجوك لا تعتذر ---- آن ميثر ------ Forbidden
روايات احلام
لماذا تشعر كارولين أن خطواتها تقودها إلى فخ ؟ لقد كانت مسرورة لحصولها على وظيفة مربية لفتاة مراهقة , فلماذا هذا الشعور المشؤوم بالخطر وبانها ستسقط فى بئر عميقة لا قرار لها ؟
وأتاها الجواب سريعا عندما عرفت رب عملها والد تلميذتها . جايمس بوث .. الرجل الذي غرر بعواطفها منذ ست سنوات ودمر حياتها هل منحتها سنوات البعد الطويلة مناعة ضده ؟
لا فقد أدركت كارولين أن جاذبيته زادت , وان غدره بها لم يقض على جذوة الحب في داخلها.فإلى متي تستطيع تحمل ألم العيش تحت سقف واحد معه ومع زوجته دون أن تخونها مشاعرها ؟
روايات احلام
لماذا تشعر كارولين أن خطواتها تقودها إلى فخ ؟ لقد كانت مسرورة لحصولها على وظيفة مربية لفتاة مراهقة , فلماذا هذا الشعور المشؤوم بالخطر وبانها ستسقط فى بئر عميقة لا قرار لها ؟
وأتاها الجواب سريعا عندما عرفت رب عملها والد تلميذتها . جايمس بوث .. الرجل الذي غرر بعواطفها منذ ست سنوات ودمر حياتها هل منحتها سنوات البعد الطويلة مناعة ضده ؟
لا فقد أدركت كارولين أن جاذبيته زادت , وان غدره بها لم يقض على جذوة الحب في داخلها.فإلى متي تستطيع تحمل ألم العيش تحت سقف واحد معه ومع زوجته دون أن تخونها مشاعرها ؟
October 4, 2017
At first I thought I wasn’t going to like this book but it definitely surprised me.
December 27, 2018
Age gap: 12-3 years
Heroine’s age: 24 (initially had affair with hero at 18)
Hero’s age: 36-7 (initially had affair with the heroine at 30-1)
Heroine’s age: 24 (initially had affair with hero at 18)
Hero’s age: 36-7 (initially had affair with the heroine at 30-1)
April 23, 2013
good but sad at times
Read
October 13, 2013Hmmmmmmm... A critical Love Story!
November 20, 2014
I liked the hero's evil villain wife in a wheelchair.
I wish the author had given her more opportunities to be evil.
The H and h were okay, nothing great.
I wish the author had given her more opportunities to be evil.
The H and h were okay, nothing great.
January 3, 2017
Star Rating: ★½☆☆☆
August 8, 2016
I love the angsty-ness of AM's books. Nobody does it like her.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews