Forbidden Fruit

Corine Solomon #3.5

by Ann Aguirre

I see dead people. Okay, that’s a lie. I hear dead people—on an antique radio…

So far, that talent hasn't brought Shannon Cheney fame or fortune. Since the world remains unaware that magick is real, being Gifted largely sucks. Her boss is an asshole, she makes minimum wage, and she’s got a serious case of forbidden lust for a sexy cop named Jesse Saldana. He’s part Mexican heat, all Texas charm, and enough of a dirty cowboy to curl her toes. Too bad he’s set on resisting her wiles.

To make matters worse, there’s this weird amnesia thing happening. She might think she’s going crazy, except Jesse’s got it too, and memory loss isn’t contagious like the flu. When Shannon pokes around, trying to put the missing pieces together, demonic retaliation is swift and potentially deadly. Jesse’s too much of a white knight to let her face danger alone, and she’s hoping he can’t resist the white-hot chemistry blazing between them…

--

This is a spin-off from the Corine Solomon series. Forbidden Fruit is book 3.5, falling between Shady Lady and Devil's Punch. The story is first person, written in Shannon Cheney's point of view. This is a novella, approximately 25K words.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Novella, Magic

82 pages, ebook

First published May 8, 2013

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre has been a clown, a clerk, a savior of stray kittens, and a voice actress, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in Mexico with her family. She writes all kinds of genre fiction, but she has an eternal soft spot for a happily ever after.

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden fruit takes place after Shady Lady and before Devil’s Punch. This is a novella and should not be read as a standalone or until Shady Lady is read.

I have a mixed relationship with the Corinne Solomon series. I enjoy and appreciate Ann Aguirre’s writing style. Few authors write characters they way she does. Aguirre includes characters not usually written about by other authors and she develops these characters with intense internal conflict. Importantly, the world building is solid and intricate. Ms. Aguirre crafts a great story, unlike most urban fantasy series — she fills them with interesting characters. This is a darker, grittier and character focused series. My issues with this series is my personal annoyance with the main character; and also, that in the first book the storyline dragged toward the end. My second complaint was not an issue in books 2 and 3, Aguirre wrote a damned good story in both 2 and 3. Basically with every book in this series I am a little more into the series and definitely more hooked.

Forbidden fruit is a novella told from the point of view of Shannon Cheney introduced in Hell Fire. The novella centers around Shannon and Jesse. I really liked this story and would love to read more from Shannon’s point of view and about Jesse.

Forbidden Fruit is a sexy and sweet novella. The scaries that exist in the world of Corinne Solomon exist in this world and are after Shannon — but she doesn’t know it. This novella made me want to get back into Corinne Solomon and read Devil’s Punch …. very soon. Readers and fans of this series will want to read Forbidden Fruit because it is fun and because it ties up some story lines from Shady Lady. Conflicted readers of this series (like me …) will want to read Forbidden Fruit because it will recharge you and convince you that you need to finish the series.

To read this review and more like it check out Bad Ass Book Reviews

[Feminista]

Forbidden Fruit = a girl barely out of high school and an older man...

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

As much as I love Ann Aguirre, I absolutely detest this plot twist and these two characters together.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of the Corine Solomon series, then I highly suggest you check out FORBIDDEN FRUIT. It’s a must-read for fans! This novella follows Shannon Cheney, Corine’s best friend at the age of nineteen and how she and sexy cop Jesse Saldana get together. Let me tell you, this novella hit all the right buttons for me. It’s funny, it’s romantic, it’s sexy and it’s action-packed. FORBIDDEN FRUIT just may be one of my favorite novellas I’ve read this year.

Simply put, Shan rocks. She has the unique ability to communicate with the dead through a radio. However, she’s missing some of her memories as well. All this sounds very suspicious but she realizes that Jesse has this weird amnesia as well. As they try to find out what happened to them, the plot thickens as Shan is being stalked and/or attacked by crazies. For its short length, I really loved seeing the supernatural elements in it.

But for me, it was the romance between Jesse and Shan that made this book so great. Their banter is some of the best I’ve read in a long time. Shan is shamelessly flirty with the hot cop, but because of the age difference, Jesse is keeping his hands to himself. That is, until he can’t resist her any longer. Shan just has a way of getting under Jesse’s skin and their chemistry is like fireworks. Kudos to Ann Agguire for this wonderfully crafted romance. She really does it right!

After devouring this novella, I realized that I would love to read more about Jesse and Shan at this stage. Outrageously fun and sexually mature, Shan’s nineteen year old character really jumped out from the pages leaping straight into my heart. I need more!

*ARC provided by Netgalley

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first three Corine Solomon books, so now that I'm catching up on a bunch of series books, I thought I'd start with this novella...

And really, I think I would've been better off skipping it. I was interested because of the amnesia spell thing, but IMO it just didn't come together.

While I love Corine's voice, Shannon's didn't work for me. She was a little annoying, and I just couldn't warm to her. The same goes for Jesse. I liked him in Corine's books but here, not so much. :/ And both of them together? I don't know... I just didn't buy their instant connection/attraction--especially his. It has nothing to do with the age difference, and everything to do with the actual characters.

The writing was nice and is actually what kept me reading to the very end, but it wasn't enough to make me love it.

Anyway. This was just okay.

[Belinda]

DNF 15%

It's not often I DNF this quickly, especially for such a short book, but I liked absolutely nothing about this, and the clear relationship setup is giving me the ick SO badly. Shannon has possibly the most annoying "voice" I've met since I tried to read Outlander (though Claire is always going to be the absolute worst, no competition), which I also relegated to the DNF pile.

[Debby Tiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a long time since I read this series, so I remembered a few things but forgot way more. This short story is funny, interesting, and slightly problematic.

Favorite character: Chuch.

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have come to treasure novellas that offer a glimpse of familiar characters between the books. I’m less excited when these glimpses give me a behind the scenes of secondary characters. The May/ December romance between Shannon and Jesse piqued my curiosity enough to be excited for FORBIDDEN FRUIT, and my excitement is not mislaid.

Mentioning the age difference between the hero and heroine in this book is important, because a reader’s feelings towards this dynamic will most likely make or break their enjoyment of the story. Anyone who picks up this book icked out about a 19 year-old woman dating a guy ten years her senior isn’t going to find anything to change their mind, not in this story anyway. Shannon is a hilarious narrator, and I enjoyed this peek through her eyes. She is struggling with blank spots in her memory, though, which makes it hard to sell her relationship with Jesse based on this novella alone. For those of us who know the backstory, however, FORBIDDEN FRUIT offers a tantalizing glimpse behind the scenes. While I didn’t enjoy reading Jesse’s issues all over again (as a “recycled” romantic interest he’s already had his share of the spot light), knowing that this time around promises a happily-ever-after made it worthwhile.

Shannon brings out a sexy side of Jesse that I’ve never seen before and getting a glimpse of their relationship dynamic was thoroughly entertaining. For those looking for a little taste of the Corine Solomon world to tide them over, FORBIDDEN FRUITis a delicious treat well worth a read.

Sexual Content: Sex scenes.

[Paris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Shannon Cheney. She’s an absolutely fun and hilarious character, who isn’t perfect, but knows what and who she is. She’s not ashamed of the fact that she used make-up as an armor, she acknowledges it and notes that it makes her stronger, less vulnerable to wear it. Since she was introduced in the Corine Solomon series, I’ve been a huge fan and when Ann Aguirre mentioned she was writing a novella from Shannon’s POV, I was super excited.

This novella definitely didn’t disappoint. It was great seeing the world from Shannon’s POV and getting to know her a little better. I especially loved her and Jesse and the evolution of their relationship. Their chemistry is super hot, more so than Jesse’s chemistry with Corine had ever been. Shannon says the most hilarious, outrageous things to him in both awkward flirtation and seriously hot innuendos. I think I would enjoy a book filled with just them bantering back and forth before getting to lots and lots of the really good stuff. No other plot would be needed.

In the back of Forbidden Fruit, Ann offers up the possibility of more Shannon and Jesse goodness that would take place after Agave Kiss. All I can say to that is YES PLEASE!! I definitely want to see more of them and although I’ll take it any way I can get it, I would like to put a vote in for a full length novel and not just a novella. Thanks Ann for giving me something I didn’t realize how badly I wanted until you wrote it for us. And I know that Shannon already has a BFF in Corine, I’d definitely like to volunteer for the job is she’s taking applications for back-up BFFs.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Forbidden Fruit" is a novella by Ann Aguirre that tells the story of Shannon, a young woman who can speak with the dead and has lost her memories. She ends up in the protective custody of one Jesse Saldana, an officer who helps her along her journey and protects her when danger comes knocking at her door, and there's quite a few encounters to be had in this story.

It may be that I'm coming into this story with no knowledge of the characters or respective series, but I thought this was only okay. The instalove factor is heavy and I'll admit I wasn't convinced of the attraction between these two characters or the overarching stakes of this brief read. I thought Shan's (Shannon) character was brash and overbearing, and while I like assertive characters who have witty banter and dialogue within supernatural circumstances, I thought Shan's character was forced and overmuch. Jesse's character was okay, and I liked some of his one-liners, but it wasn't enough to vet out the situation even in this brief read. I thought Shan acted clueless in her encounters far too easily, and it made her character non-endearing for things that she should've recognized were bad ideas or odd things to say in the heat of the moment, especially when she was in peril.

It wasn't my cuppa reading, and I've read better novellas from Aguirre ("Thistle and Thorn" from the "Til' The World Ends" anthology being one), but I wouldn't be opposed out of curiosity just to see what series this is from, and maybe have better luck in the reads there.

Overall score: 2/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Writing: 4
Story: 2
Satisfaction: 2

This is NOT a complete stand-alone story. I picked this up because I was interested in reading one of Ann Aguirre's works but sadly this is a short novella that comes between books 3 and 4 of another series and doesn't hold a complete story on its own. Problems are introduced that are never fleshed out and never concluded and it feels like it was written to be a larger book that just got chopped off in the middle.

The main character is 19-year old, sexually mature Shannon who can summon the dead with a radio. She can't remember the past but she knows that the sexy cop Jesse Saldana (the full name because she repeats it constantly) scooped her out of it, though he doesn't remember most of it either.

Shannon is written with an entertaining first person voice, though she makes a lot of modern pop references that will date this novella for anyone who reads it later. I enjoyed her perspective though her obsession with Jesse, an empath who can both feel and project emotions, borders on obsessive and his obsession with her seems weirdly mature for a 25 year old cop who seems to be mature in other aspects of his life.

I wish this novella had wrapped up in some way. Even some smallish conclusion would have been satisfactory but it's definitely not a story on its own.

This copy was given to me by NetGalley.

[Tez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes in fiction there's nothing more disappointing than a good series gone bad. I really enjoyed the first two Corine Solomon novels, loved reading about Mexico, enjoyed Corine and Chance, Chuch and Eva. Never really connected with Shannon. And Jesse didn't have any flaws, so he was a bit boring.

After those first two books, the series went downhill. It jumped the shark. I don't mind when authors write series-changing plots, but I do have an issue when I don't like the new direction.

Still, I couldn't resist picking up Forbidden Fruit from NetGalley. And it's okay. Not great, but not bad. Admittedly it's more paranormal romance than urban fantasy, so that probably made me like it less. Not that I'm against romance per se, but I am when the characters become less interesting once they hook up. And before they hook up, Shannon sexually harasses Jesse a lot, but because this is a romance, supposedly us readers aren't supposed to have a problem with it.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella fits in between book 3 and 4 of the Corine Soloman seriesBlue Diablo: Corine Solomon: Book One.
Shannon and Jesse are given an avenue to explore the possibility of a relationship.
I got a teeny weeny bit fed up of the whole Shannon has the hots for Jesse and Jesse can 'feel' just how much because he is an empath. Once or twice I get and possibly a third time but it got to the point of repetitive.
You can clearly tell the author has the gift of gab, however the gab must have been bored and overtired in this little excursion. The little content that was there was drawn out like a rubber band and it lacked both detail and character depth.
Novellas are supposed to entice the reader to read the full novel. They need to be hard hitting and leave the reader with a curiosity born of needing to know what happens next. Even an add on to a series novella.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley

[Nicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a part of the Corinne Solomon series, but the novella focuses on Shannon. This is probably going to appeal to fans of the series, but don't consider it a stand alone book.
I'm kind of mixed about my review for it. I really like the series so I enjoyed finding out what happens to Shannon while Corinne is off in Mexico, BUT I didn't really feel that there was a continuation between what the characters where like in this book to how they acted in the CS books. They seemed a lot shallower and Shannon and Jesse were unrealistically obsessed with each other the whole time... it kinda made me respect them less. Ya know if THAT is a realistic response to the actions of fictional characters.
But like I said, see this more as an extra tidbit and a chance to see how Shannon and Jesse end up hooking-up.

[Shara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I wanted it to be: the "origin story" of Jesse and Shannon's romance. I like them together a helluva lot more than I ever liked Jesse with Corinne, so that's a plus, seeing the kind of woman he could really devote himself to, and not simply put up a mask for. The only trouble I had while reading was trying to remember the events that happened AFTER the story, which just means I'll have fun re-reading the Corinne books with this novella firmly in the timeline. Fans of the series should enjoy this, but fair warning: it's heavy on the romance side of the genre. Which is okay: Shannon is a helluva lot of fun.

[Tasha Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part of a series that I've never written. Based on some of the reviews I expected to be pretty lost but I figured out enough to follow the story. It definitely made me want to get my hands on the series. The magic world building was fascinating and I want to learn more. I found the dynamics between the main couple interesting. So many secrets being kept. I liked that we had romance not just lust.

All Things Urban does a great review of the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay, Forbidden Fruit is now on Netgalley:

[Delia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok it's been awhile since I've read any Corine Solomon books so I picked this up not realizing that this is part of that series. It was ok. I think I will need to reread the other books and figure out how this fits in. I kinda liked the main character Shannon, sassy and quick wit and I liked Jesse.

[Yvonne Boag · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope! just no.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short novella that is an easy read but not necessary to get done before finishing series it’s part of, at least not in my opinion.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd love a longer book with Shannon and Jesse. Maybe someday.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Shannon Cheney is on a mission to find out what happened to her memory. If she can finally convince cop Jesse Saldana to hook up with her in the meantime, all the better…

Opening Sentence: The first thing you need to know about me is—I see dead people.

The Review:

I absolutely adore Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax series, but have not yet gotten around to reading her Corine Solomon series. As a result, I was a little nervous starting my experience with the series off with a novella that takes place after the first few books in the series, but I needn’t have worried. While I think I would have benefited from having read the series prior to this novella, I still really enjoyed it, and it made me want to start the series sooner rather than later.

Shannon Cheney can communicate with the dead through the use of an antique radio. This doesn’t really help her pay the bills though, as the world is unaware of the existence of the Gifted. So, she’s currently having to pay the bills by working at the Pretzel Pirate in the mall, which is not anyone’s idea of a dream job. On top of that, she’s suffering from a severe case of memory loss. She has no idea what events led her here, and has no idea how to go about figuring out what happened. The only good thing in her life right now is cop Jesse Saldana, a man she is determined to seduce. As they attempt to figure out what caused the memory loss, their feelings for each other grow, and danger looms in the form of demonic attacks. Will they survive long enough to make their feelings known to each other?

I really enjoyed having Shannon as the narrator. She was sassy and funny, and her actions and voice seemed to fit my idea of a 19-year-old Goth girl. I had a little bit harder time connecting to Jesse, probably because we don’t get to see anything from his point of view since the novella has first person narration. That being said, he is extremely caring and supportive of Shannon and doesn’t treat her like she’s helpless. What more can you ask for in a hero?

Not having read previous books in the Corine Solomon series, I’m not sure if readers know what caused the memory loss, but my curiosity was definitely peaked. I would have preferred it if we could have gotten some answers, but I’m guessing the answers can be found in full-length books from the series. If Ann Aguirre’s purpose was to bring new readers to the Corine Solomon series, she definitely succeeded with me. This was a fast-paced, entertaining read that never had a dull moment. I’ll definitely be starting the series soon!

Notable Scene:

I stumble back a few steps and topple a display between us. The shattering glass slows her down long enough for me to pop open my backpack. Dodging between display racks, I weave away from her. Madness and malevolence radiate from her in smothering waves, and she’s eerily silent, just the rough gasps of a body unused to such physical exertion.

“Maybe we could talk things through,” I offer. “Get some counseling? I’m sure whatever it is I did to you, which I apparently don’t remember, I can make amends. How do you feel about macramé rugs?”

Her bony fist smashes through some stained-glass shelving, and her blood spatters me as I dive away. It smells faintly of rotten eggs.

“So that’s a no on arts and crafts?”

FTC Advisory: Ann Aquirre graciously provided me with a copy of Forbidden Fruit. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Jacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella which is - according to the afterword - number 3.5 in the Corinne Solomon series, but since I picked this up at random and haven't read any of the others I just took it at face value. Corinne Solomon doesn't actually appear, so it seems to be more of a spin-off than a continuation, or an infill. I don't know whether these two characters are staples of the series or not.

It's pretty obvious there's something strange going on. Shannon communicates with the dead via an antique radio and Jesse is a cop who's looking after her as she resettles in Laredo. There's a hole in her memories, apparently the result of some sort of spell and Jesse, an empath as well as a cop - has the same gap in his knowledge. There are demons after Shann, buit we don't really find out why. I suspect that wuill be revealed in other books in the series. Basically this is the story of how two people's relationship changes. Sweet and sexy in turns this is a quick read and pacy enough for me to wish it continued. Okay - I guess I just have to start reading the Corinne Solomons. I'm already a fan of Aguirre's Sirantha Jax books. Like the Jax books this is written in the first person present, which is not something I'd generally say I liked, but it works for me in the Jax books, and it works here, too.

[Alex Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to start by saying that I didn't realize this was part of an ongoing series (but that's accurate either, since this seemed to be more of an off-shoot from the original series)and my lack of insight left me a little in the dark. AND it's the reason I almost knocked it down to a 3-star review, because the novella didn't feel like a complete work.

The uniqueness of the story line and the quirkiness of the main character was refreshing, the mystery compelling, and the heat factor was smoking hot.

In the end, I truly liked the characters and plotting too much to just give the book a "like" -- and it's not the author's fault I'm a dunce and didn't read the other books first.

So I'm giving it a qualified 4-star -- but you really do need to read the other books first! Do as I say, not as I do! M'kay?

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I've only read Blue Diablo (book #1 of the Corine Soloman series) and this is a novella filling in some of the pieces from later in the series so I did feel like I was missing a few background aspects to this story but Shannon and Jesse's relationship more than made up for it. I absolutely adore them together and I want to be BFF's with Shannon. She's fantastic. These two deserve their own book.

It probably shouldn't be read out of order (*oops*) but I still got a good feel for the characters and plot for the novella and enjoyed the heck out of it.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I was nervous about jumping into a series at 3.5 but I didn't feel alienated from the story in any way. Jessie and Shannon were awesome characters with smokin' chemistry. I'd really like to be around when they recover their memories, I mean what can be so bad that demons would attack you? The worst thing I can say about this book is I disliked Shannon's nickname. As a Shannon myself I've always hated the name Shan, but that's just a personal nitpick. Overall this story was just plain good. 4 Stars

[Darkand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful little addition to the Corine Solomon series - a novella about Jesse & Shannon! Awesome! First off, I was so glad to see Jesse finally finding love and what a great surprise that it was with Shannon! I LOVE the two of them together - I really truly hope that Ms. Aguirre continues their story - this time, hopefully, it will be a full novel. (It's no secret that I get frustrated by novellas - they're just too darn short for my taste!) I'm glad I read it before I started to read Devil's Punch. It definitely helped with the continuity!

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expect if you haven't read the previous Corinne Solomon novels, this novella would fall somewhat short in the world-building department. But, as an avid Ann Aguirre fan, I loved this "side story" peek into Shannon and Jesse's lives. I already loved Shan - she's clever and tough and funny. Jesse ... well, I wasn't loving Jesse so much in the earlier books, but I have to say this story went a long way toward changing that. I hope we get to see more of them in future stories!

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thankyou to NetGalley and the publishers for this copy!

I loved both Shannon & Jesse from the very start, both as separate characters & together. I love characters that tell it like it is & speak like people I know & love.

this book obviously fits somewhere in the middle of a much larger story, which after reading this one I am very interested in getting my hands on!

witches, demons, empaths, ghosts, amnesia spells, and an undeniable love & connection... what more could I ask for?

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what I was going to think about Shanna and Jesse, but it worked, mostly because I really like Shanna's attitude about going after what she wants. I hope their memories return by the next book as I really liked Shanna and Corrine as friends and now that Jesse is out of the love triangle/quad, I happy to have him around again as well.. The only real downside is there isn't much resolution (I expect it will show up in the next book in the series).