Forbidden

by D.C. Maren

Some love stories should never happen… and yet they do.

Emma Marks knows what it means to lose everything, her parents, her innocence, her sense of safety. Living under her brother Alex’s protective watch, she was supposed to keep her head down, stay out of trouble, and prepare for the future. But fate had other plans.

Max Evans, Alex’s best friend and the one man Emma should never want, is everything she can’t resist. Older, untouchable, dangerously off-limits. One stolen moment turns into an obsession neither of them can control. Their connection is raw, magnetic, and destructive, burning brighter because it’s forbidden.

As secrets unravel and betrayals cut deep, Emma is forced to confront the wreckage of desire, family loyalty, and heartbreak. Between the glittering nights at Silk, the lies that bind them, and the pull she can’t escape, Emma must
Will she walk away before it destroys her, or surrender to a love that was never meant to survive?

Forbidden is a steamy, emotionally charged new adult romance full of heartbreak, betrayal, obsession, and a love that tempts fate itself.

426 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2025

Reviews

[THEINKEDBOOKWIFE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rate🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes
❤️‍🔥Forbidden Love
❤️‍🔥Age Gap
❤️‍🔥Brother's Best Friend
❤️‍🔥Heartbreak
❤️‍🔥Love Triangle

I had the pleasure of ARC reading this book. Oh how I couldn't put this book down. I just had to know what was going to happen next. This story will have you sitting at the edge of your seat with all the raw and emotional twists and turns.

Secrets. Betrayal. Desire. Lust. The author made sure this book had it all!

Who do you think Emma will choose? The mysterious forbidden Max who's always hiding in the shadows watching or Zane, the tattooed bad boy who will show her the world?

Preorder now so you can find out!

[Desiree Colón · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was captivating from start to finish! It was like being in a rollercoaster I had no intentions getting off of. My type of read! All the spice, all the action/drama and an ending you didn’t expect. This author has a talent that’s undeniable!

[KindleandCauldrons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden had me staying up way too late…it’s the kind of book that grabs you and refuses to let go. Emma’s journey is intense, heartbreaking, and so magnetic. Her chemistry with Max is raw, dangerous, and completely off-limits, while Zane brings loyalty, comfort, and a different kind of love that feels just as tempting and intoxicating.
The emotional rollercoaster had me torn between passion and stability, betrayal and devotion. And the 🌶️? Enough to keep me thinking about these characters long after the final page.
If you’re looking for a forbidden love story that makes you question every choice right alongside the heroine, this one will wreck you in the best way.
So tell me—are you Team Max or Team Zane?

[Brittany Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from page one and I’m so excited I was able to be a part of this ARC experience. The raw emotion, the drama, the character growth of the FMC and (of course) the love triangle with two hot MMCs made it impossible to put the book down. Not to mention the spice had my toes curling 😍