Forbidden Fruit

by Endley Tyler

The TemptedMy sweet, innocent stepsister awakens something dark inside me — something I can’t control. Her smile, her scent, that body I shouldn’t be craving. Each forbidden thought, every stolen touch, drives me deeper into the abyss. I thought I knew who I was, but that one little taste changed everything. Now, with my soul at stake, I’m teetering on the edge of ruin — tempted, and dying to resist.



The ForbiddenHe thinks he knows me — his guard down, just how I want it. But I’m not the girl he believes I am. I’m on a mission, and he’s my prize. Him — my escape from the lies I’m buried in, my obsession. He’s my salvation, my undoing, the love he doesn’t know I’m willing to die for. The world says we can never be together, but I’ll tear it apart if I have to. Nothing will stand in my way, not even the lives I’ll destroy to get what I want.

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This is a dark romance centered on the stepbrother trope. Please read content warning prior to reading.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Abuse

209 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2024

About the author

Endley Tyler writes over-the-top, pitch-black dark romance for readers who like their love stories toxic, obsessive, and impossible to put down.

Her books are intense, taboo, fast-paced, and unapologetically messy, featuring morally gray men, damaged heroines, possessive obsession, jealousy, dominance, danger, and relationships that should probably come with warning labels.

If you like dark romance that pushes limits, ruins your sleep, and makes you question your own standards, welcome home.

Reviews

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 3 out of 5]

End of year, adding in some reads I meant to shelf earlier… I was fortunate to receive an arc. I haven’t read the version that was published but did scan through to see how the author made the changes.

I did not enjoy this. While I decided not to leave a rating for the author’s dark hockey romance that was published right before this one since I was a little disappointed, I am leaving a 3-star rating here. I think the author is trying to serve her existing fanbase who prefers this writing style and content which is not as dark/angst-y/messed up as the author can go. Pretty Ugly Girl was probably one of my fav reads, and likely to be an outlier for the author.

Yes, even though this story’s plot has some twists and features a taboo attraction, the writing style was too casual for me. I miss the intensity, the longing, the realness of Pretty Ugly Girl. That’s just me tho!

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Unexpected.

A forbidden romance with a twist, the plot line captured me with rapt attention and wouldn’t let go. I read Kira and Corbin’s love interest unfold with trepidation as the author wove a creative step-sibling romance ripe in innocence, turmoil, and uncharacteristic taboo.

Kira was sweet, vivacious, a good girl, but cunning? Corbin was generous, protective, devoted brother. There were lots of reference and talk of their brother-sister relationship even as they referred to themselves.

This was not the typical step-sibling romance and in fact, felt uniquely deviantly and deliciously perverse, unlocking critical “ah-ha” keys at each advance of the storyline. I vaulted between suspicious and optimistic until diving into the darkness of climatic events while coddled in passionate spice (four chilis).

It also contained other person drama — they remained true to each other, which lended to some neon-green jealous possessiveness, unbidden sexy talk, and fervent spice doused with a bit of regret. Hot! The taboo was tabooing.

This wasn’t a long story though full-bodied, with a progressive pace; a climax, to a complex denouement, unpredictable (and appreciated) in how it arrived to a happy ever after.

I loved the character depictions; flawed, they were simply “regular” people: family, friends, cousins, in a small town where everyone knew each other — or they thought they did until discovering what lurked underneath. This was juxtaposed with a little big town aspirations.

If there is anything I would have added, it would have been more revelation on their familial relationship, their origins on what made them not related, though not knowing added that element of unresolved mystery.

Entertaining, unexpectedly dark, another great story by this author.

[Kiran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was good, less errors than other works I’ve read, but darker than I expected or wanted, I just need one book without female suffering please.

[Andrea Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

wow A twist at the end
I liked it

[MCrawDRKRead · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry DNF @ 8%. I’m sorry, but this was not doing anything for me. It feels like a completely different person wrote this compared to another book I read by the author. Didn’t flow well, didn’t read as natural or “real” and overall didn’t drawl me in. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Bookish · Rating 2 out of 5]

RATINGS:
Overall ⭐️⭐️
Characters ⭐️
Plot ⭐️ [the amount of plot bunnies in this book is unreal 🥴]
Ending ⭐️ [felt forced]
Spice 🌶 [hardly any - 4 short scenes I think?]

📚Genre📚
Tab00
Forbidden love
Small town romance
Country*ish romance
Dark*ish romance [although..... not really]

✨️Tropes✨️
New York college step-brother x small-town step sister
Tab00 relationship
Forbidden love
J/P/OTT MMC
Take-charge FMC
Step-siblings
Small town country*ish romance
Touch her and ☠️
Age gap [not a significant amount]
Grumpy/Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Secret relationship
Secret life

⚠️Trigger Warnings⚠️
[The comprehensive TW link in the book doesn't work... so... this list is mostly mine; some of these are shared by the author in the beginning of the book]
Tab00
Step-siblings [not🩸related] [Kira's mom married Corbin's Dad]
Abuse
Familial relations
Psychological abuse
Some serious psychological themes
Past abuse
Past Sêxual abuse & 🍇 [not MMC]
Recordings posted online [specifically the dark web]
Pedophilia [not MMC]
False reporting - child molestation [FMC against MMC]
Murder
Violence [involving a 🔫 and a 🔪]
Suicide
Alcohol consumption
FMC stars in theatre/plays
Other woman drama
Bullying
Slut shaming
Dub-con + non-con
Body betrayal
Emotional trauma
Family shaming
Depression
Mentions of the Bible
Centered around the holiday [Thanksgiving + Xmas]
Mentions of car accident [hit & run involving a person]
Mentions of arson
Mentions of physical abuse [both present & past]
Mentions of domestic violence [not between MCs]
Mentions of mental instability & psychiatric facilities [FMC]
MMC & FMC being arrested & questioned by police; MMC goes to jail

💁‍♂️Pairing💁‍♀️
M/F

💫Book Summary💫
MMC, Corbin, comes home for Thanksgiving after about 3 years up in NYC for college. FMC, Kira, is MMC's younger step-sister & she's on a mission to make Corbin hers. He, being a dude, notices that she's *filled out* at her 19 years of age & well... he starts thinking with the wrong head. During one of their smexy moments [at home, mind you], they end up getting hot & heavy on the couch & get caught in the act by their father figure. The mom & dad "banish" Corbin & send him back to NYC, on the terms he's to have no contact with Kira. Kira convinces her parents to forgive Corbin so he can come home for Christmas. Corbin is seriously torn between his "wanting" Kira on a lover-type level when he realistically knows things can never be that way between them. Kira, in the other hand, is convinced she will make Corbin see things her way & they can find their happily ever after. Do they? Don't they? 😉

✅️What I liked✅️
- the obvious sexual tension between Corbin & Kira. Their spark is delicious! 🥵💦
- Corbin's dirty f*g mouth 🥵💦

❌️What I didn't like❌️
- a lot of the story isn't centered around Kira & Corbin. To me, that's irritating. I don't care about Mia [the other woman]. Yes, it's a dual POV & I understand the need for the jealousy aspect, but.... a lot of the story includes interactions with friends & family & their weird-ass family members. I don't care about any of this stuff! Get back to Kira & Corbin! Summary: this book isn't 100% smut & it's p!§§!ng me off!
- this book needs serious editing. Quote, "She refused to cooperate afterword and stopped speaking." Afterward???
- the lullaby on page 221: there are boxes behind the words of each line; were those supposed to be emojis?

My feelings about this book:
👉 I've read better ones 🤷‍♀️

Would I read this again? 🤔
👉No...

📢Review📢 This is my first book by this author and will most definitely be my last. I picked this book with high expectations - dark romance & step-sublings. Uhmmm... duh! I was left severely disappointed. This book was a rollercoaster of plots & random events you'd never see coming. I didn't sign up for that & I won't read any other books like this. All-in-all, this book felt like losing terribly at a chessgame that you didn't realize you were even playing. Two stars was being generous.

[Shannon Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book only got this high of a rating because of how funny I found it while reading. The whole time I kept thinking “wth am I reading right now?” The storyline??? Not really one until the end. The constant time jumps. A chapter is 6 months away from the previous and everything is just kinda glossed over.
It was a nice refresher between the heavier books I’ve been reading but if I hadn’t had needed that easy read to cleanse the palate there’s no way I wouldn’t have DNF’ed it. This is such a shallow book in the sense that there’s no depth to it at all and the writing itself wasn’t great but it was okay.
My poor best friend has had to deal with me constantly sending videos of me laughing my ass off throughout this book because of how it is structured and things that happened and described. What a ride, honestly 😂

[Danielle Tiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides the FMC and MMC relationship being “taboo” this was so good 😭 oh my god poor Kira. Who could blame her for being the way she was. She’s kind of messed up, crazy, and unhinged but it’s a miracle she’s not worse after what happened to her. Corbin never ever judged her or gave up on her. He loved her through it all. He was scared for people to know, understandable.

Side note…. Fuck her whole family. God the poor girl

[KruemelGizmo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Geschichte um Kira und Corbin, Stiefgeschwister, konnte mich nicht ganz abholen. Das hin und her zwischen den beiden zog sich für meinen Geschmack zu lange hin. Der Plot-Twist hat mir gut gefallen, hätte aber für mich aber deutlich früher kommen können und vor allem mehr Raum einnehmen können, denn dann wäre die Geschichte deutlich spannender gewesen.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved

I absolutely love this book. I adored the characters I was surprised and shocked by the ending. I’ve gotta say it kept me gripped, and I love the romance between those two and how much they loved each other, despite the craziness.

[Kandi Lopez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was the most unhinged book I've ever read!! Totally ridiculous!! One example: having sex in the next room knowing that you could be caught (after being caught before by your parents!!). Immature writing! Not a fan of this author! What a waste of time!

[Brodie Oakham · Rating 3 out of 5]

layered plot.

This was a strange dark twisted tale that starts out a little taboo but then just jumps off the deep end and ends up in pure darkness. Not what I expected at all but a read worthy for darkness lovers. Left me very keen to see what else this author has to offer.

[xBaby-Girlx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t a huge fan.. the story was deep and there was a lot of love between the characters but I just felt it was too deep, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped.

[Uva Agria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mmm bastante aburrido la verdad. Nuevamente una protagonista que sufre y está bastante loca. Un protagonista bastante soso.

[Simran Flora · Rating 1 out of 5]

No.

[Merissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick meh read. It was okay. I feel like once we got to the ending it got a bit confusing.

[Crystal McCullum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't love it/didn't hate it.
- started out promising.
-lost me
-found me
-spice 🌶️ meh
-labeled "dark romance- pitch black" good starter book for someone but pretty generic and PG for me.

[Lily · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF it… the writing is mostly written as if they’re biological siblings it felt incestuous to be honest. It was just really hard getting into it

[Nineette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corbin and Kira

She did keep a big secret that affected her in a big way. Corbin was there for her even though she made difficult a times.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️ || High 🔥 || Light 💀



*warnings/tropes: step siblings; college student H; forbidden; she fell first (is initiator); h with mental illness; murder of childhood abuser (of h); SA of h (past; by family member); Nebraska

[KayBeReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a forbidden romance. Corbin and Kira are step siblings and during a visit home from college Corbin starts to see Kira in a new light. Kira is in love with her stepbrother and is doing everything in her power to seduce him. Corbin tries to resist but he can’t. They have a bunch of back and forth because Corbin is having a hard time with his feelings. Kira isn’t making it easy for him. Once their parents find out about them all h**l breaks loose. When I tell you it sets off a chain of events that I didn’t see coming. The majority of the book was them navigating their feelings and jealousy. The last half of the book things went left. I was gagged. Great book.