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Forbidden #1-3
Forbidden, Books 1, 2 & 3
5 STARS! “Forbidden takes us on an emotional roller coaster which the reader will ride quickly to the end, as this book is impossible to put down.” - Rhoda D'Ettore, Author 5 STARS! “A total page turner that grips at your heart strings.” - Gayle Pace, Book Reviewer 5 STARS! “I loved it! I was so drawn in from the first page…so romantic…and perfect.” - A. P. Bullard, Triskele Reviews 5 STARS! “A gripping and quick read. A weekend page turner.” - Review Girl 5 STARS! "Forbidden" is an intelligent and well-crafted masterpiece that thoroughly deserves five stars indeed!” - Adisha Kariyawasam BOOK DESCRIPTION When Lady Eleanor Sotheby unexpectedly enters the life of Jayne Clark, a 23-year old waitress from Wichita, Kansas, Jayne's world is turned upside down. Not only is she welcomed into a family that she never knew, but she is thrust headlong into the highest strata of European society. Nothing is too grand in the fairy tale lives of the uber-rich--the spectacular seaside villas, the sleek, chauffeured limousines, the outrageously expensive designer clothes. When Jayne plays her part and learns to fit into this new world, she meets Robert Astor, the man of her dreams. But her feelings for Robert are forbidden. Jayne's heady new life begins to unravel into a dark web of deceit, domination and greed...and she ultimately finds herself confronting an evil that truly has no limits. Fans of Nora Roberts and Sidney Sheldon will enjoy this book.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2015
25 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Mike Wells
201 books795 followersEmail me at mike (at) mikewellsbooks.com or follow me on Twitter (@MikeWellsAuthor) and get a FREE copy of one of my bestselling books. I'm an American author best known for my Lust, Money & Murder series and and written more than 25 other thriller and suspense novels. I also have taught in the Creative Writing program at Oxford. I'm known for my super fast-paced, 'unputdownable' books.
Please visit my website/blog at:
http://www.mikewellsbooks.com/
And please join me on Twitter and Facebook:
http://twitter.com/mikewellsauthor
http://facebook.com/mikewellsauthor
Please visit my website/blog at:
http://www.mikewellsbooks.com/
And please join me on Twitter and Facebook:
http://twitter.com/mikewellsauthor
http://facebook.com/mikewellsauthor
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 28, 2015
It is with great pleasure that I write the first UK review of this book series. I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this book ahead of the publication date and my sincere thanks to the author Mike Wells for giving me this opportunity.
To date, I have enjoyed every one of Mike Wells' books and I am pleased to say that the story of "Forbidden" does not disappoint. The twist here is that this is a predominantly romantic novel expertly constructed by popular and very talented author Devika Fernando with added spice of thriller fiction that we've come to know and expect from master storyteller Mike Wells. I understand that this was Devika's first collaboration with Mike and I must say I was blown away. Great work indeed!
Let's take a quick look at the main characters and I'll try not to give too many spoilers away...
Lady Eleanor Sotheby: Our main character is "anything-but-a-lady", filthy-rich and disturbingly creepy antagonist and a truly evil witch-like villain - just take a peek at the apt book cover and you'll see what I am hinting at. Eleanor has a backstory of her own that when juxtaposed on the present day main story makes some very interesting and at times, distinctly alarming reading. For example, some scenes like the gang-leader's unpleasantly violent payback is not for the faint-hearted; but is absolutely necessary for setting the rationale for Eleanor's selfish behaviour throughout the novel. Mike is very honest and has a refreshing no-holds-barred attitude when it comes to describing gritty villains. It's easy to understand why, for whilst there is a possibility that this may offend some more 'reserved' readers of gentle romantic novels it was critical to setting the moral tone and shameful decent into Eleanor's hell on earth.
Jayne Clark: Our heroine, a young headstrong lady from Kansas (we are briefly reminded of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz) and not averse to taking risks but very vulnerable and at times naïve when it comes to decision making. Jayne's character loosely reminds me of Heather Bancroft's character from "Passion, Power & Sin" but to a great extent is far more reserved and not so sure of herself. Like every comic book hero she has a weakness from birth and this vulnerability adds an extra dimension of realism to the novel.
Celeste: A very headstrong, tenacious character who behaves quite irresponsibly and perfectly written green-eyed monster.
Robert Astor: The square-jawed almost Frog-prince type character who is understandably deeply suspicious of the situation he is in. Again very well described.
Ultimately, "Forbidden" is a gorgeous well-written novel. I particularly enjoyed intricate and realistic descriptions of the surroundings punctuated by fascinating historical detail - a real pleasure to read. It harks back to the classic romantic novels by Emily Bronte and Jane Austen so will not disappoint fans of the genre. I was also reminded of Mark Twain's "The Prince and The Pauper" and as with previous novels was able to visualise a movie (and hear it's soundtrack) in the cinema of my mind. Full credit to Devika and Mike for bringing it all to life - a truly spectacular collaborative effort indeed and I look forward to more of the same!
Finally, my sincere thanks again to Mike Wells and Devika Fernando for giving me the opportunity to beta-read this wonderful book series!
In summary: "Forbidden" is an intelligent and well-crafted masterpiece that thoroughly deserves five stars indeed!
To date, I have enjoyed every one of Mike Wells' books and I am pleased to say that the story of "Forbidden" does not disappoint. The twist here is that this is a predominantly romantic novel expertly constructed by popular and very talented author Devika Fernando with added spice of thriller fiction that we've come to know and expect from master storyteller Mike Wells. I understand that this was Devika's first collaboration with Mike and I must say I was blown away. Great work indeed!
Let's take a quick look at the main characters and I'll try not to give too many spoilers away...
Lady Eleanor Sotheby: Our main character is "anything-but-a-lady", filthy-rich and disturbingly creepy antagonist and a truly evil witch-like villain - just take a peek at the apt book cover and you'll see what I am hinting at. Eleanor has a backstory of her own that when juxtaposed on the present day main story makes some very interesting and at times, distinctly alarming reading. For example, some scenes like the gang-leader's unpleasantly violent payback is not for the faint-hearted; but is absolutely necessary for setting the rationale for Eleanor's selfish behaviour throughout the novel. Mike is very honest and has a refreshing no-holds-barred attitude when it comes to describing gritty villains. It's easy to understand why, for whilst there is a possibility that this may offend some more 'reserved' readers of gentle romantic novels it was critical to setting the moral tone and shameful decent into Eleanor's hell on earth.
Jayne Clark: Our heroine, a young headstrong lady from Kansas (we are briefly reminded of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz) and not averse to taking risks but very vulnerable and at times naïve when it comes to decision making. Jayne's character loosely reminds me of Heather Bancroft's character from "Passion, Power & Sin" but to a great extent is far more reserved and not so sure of herself. Like every comic book hero she has a weakness from birth and this vulnerability adds an extra dimension of realism to the novel.
Celeste: A very headstrong, tenacious character who behaves quite irresponsibly and perfectly written green-eyed monster.
Robert Astor: The square-jawed almost Frog-prince type character who is understandably deeply suspicious of the situation he is in. Again very well described.
Ultimately, "Forbidden" is a gorgeous well-written novel. I particularly enjoyed intricate and realistic descriptions of the surroundings punctuated by fascinating historical detail - a real pleasure to read. It harks back to the classic romantic novels by Emily Bronte and Jane Austen so will not disappoint fans of the genre. I was also reminded of Mark Twain's "The Prince and The Pauper" and as with previous novels was able to visualise a movie (and hear it's soundtrack) in the cinema of my mind. Full credit to Devika and Mike for bringing it all to life - a truly spectacular collaborative effort indeed and I look forward to more of the same!
Finally, my sincere thanks again to Mike Wells and Devika Fernando for giving me the opportunity to beta-read this wonderful book series!
In summary: "Forbidden" is an intelligent and well-crafted masterpiece that thoroughly deserves five stars indeed!
Read
February 23, 2015This is definitely not a young adult kind of book, the themes are pretty intense when it comes to betrayal. Not much about sexual or mature content, some of the scenes can be graphic, hence this should be best enjoyed by adults, or one who does understand that this is purely a convincing fiction.
There are two story lines in the book: Jayne and her new found family versus Eleanor's past. The author makes it easy for the readers to follow by flipping chapters between Jayne and Eleanor. Readers will know the truth while following the 'present' situation. You should definitely get the set of three, as it is more convenient.
From the synopsis, Lady Eleanor Sotheby has finally found the daughter she put up for adoption years ago. Jayne found that she not only has a rich birth mother, but a twin sister as well. It was all happy until Jayne found out that Celeste her sister was in trouble, and had offered to help. Trouble then starts as Jayne had unwittingly landed herself in a mess of the century.
Who is the enemy? Are you banking on Jayne turning greedy? Robert Astor being not who he claims to be? Or something else? Nothing is what it seems, I bet a lot of people will tell you that after reading this one. The characters evolve constantly, as if they are wearing many masks, some merely grow up, others shed their outer shell and reveal the ugliness inside.
Definitely a read worth your while.
There are two story lines in the book: Jayne and her new found family versus Eleanor's past. The author makes it easy for the readers to follow by flipping chapters between Jayne and Eleanor. Readers will know the truth while following the 'present' situation. You should definitely get the set of three, as it is more convenient.
From the synopsis, Lady Eleanor Sotheby has finally found the daughter she put up for adoption years ago. Jayne found that she not only has a rich birth mother, but a twin sister as well. It was all happy until Jayne found out that Celeste her sister was in trouble, and had offered to help. Trouble then starts as Jayne had unwittingly landed herself in a mess of the century.
Who is the enemy? Are you banking on Jayne turning greedy? Robert Astor being not who he claims to be? Or something else? Nothing is what it seems, I bet a lot of people will tell you that after reading this one. The characters evolve constantly, as if they are wearing many masks, some merely grow up, others shed their outer shell and reveal the ugliness inside.
Definitely a read worth your while.
May 30, 2015
A gripping thriller about a ruthless woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Jayne Clark knew she had been adopted but was not prepared to meet her biological mother who turns up in her place of employment out of the blue. She learns she has a sister and is invited to visit her well off blood relatives in France, but little does she know that she's being drawn into a high stakes game as an instrument to do the bidding of a calculating woman.
Absolutely riveting read that kept me up all night, I enjoyed immensely reading the plot unfold and being immersed into the world of the user-rich in this book. Jayne was a likeable character, whom I rooted for throughout this thriller. Despite having been edited, proofread and been read by a beta reader there were quite a few typos and errors surprisingly which began to encroach on my enjoyment of the story. However, I'm still recommending this book as it kept me gripped throughout.
Absolutely riveting read that kept me up all night, I enjoyed immensely reading the plot unfold and being immersed into the world of the user-rich in this book. Jayne was a likeable character, whom I rooted for throughout this thriller. Despite having been edited, proofread and been read by a beta reader there were quite a few typos and errors surprisingly which began to encroach on my enjoyment of the story. However, I'm still recommending this book as it kept me gripped throughout.
October 5, 2016
** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
WOW!! I kind of knew this was going to go downhill after the Paris visit, especially with a person like Eleanor....she had NO redeeming qualities....she was selfish even as a young girl...yes she did endure some abusive situations...but those can either make you stronger or contribute to who you will become...and not always in a good way...that is that persons choice...Well Eleanor's choice was to become a bad person...manipulative...conniving...a liar and a murderer! She was cruel to both her daughters and in return Celeste became a selfish girl too...Jayne was raised good...so she had a heart and a conscience!
Jayne is reunited with her long lost bio mom and learns she has a twin sister...she visits them in Paris and learns her sister is pregnant...she is engaged to be married and Robert her fiance can not find out...they devise a plan that Jayne will pretend to be Celeste and take care of her sister during her pregnancy to keep it secret..and her mother will pay her as if she was staff...Jayne needs the money desperately because her adopted mom has cancer and is getting chemo...Jayne's mom manipulates and lies to Jayne the whole time...steals from her and blackmails her...Jayne isn't stupid though and discovers her evil moms secrets..and in the end she is the winner...but I don't think this stories done...Knowing Mike Wells...I think he has something sneaky up his sleeve for us here...and I cant wait to find out what it is!!!
GREAT STORY!! ALL OF MIKE'S STUFF IS GREAT...I RECOMMEND YOU BUY IT ALL AND LISTEN IMMEDIATELY!!!! LOL :)
WOW!! I kind of knew this was going to go downhill after the Paris visit, especially with a person like Eleanor....she had NO redeeming qualities....she was selfish even as a young girl...yes she did endure some abusive situations...but those can either make you stronger or contribute to who you will become...and not always in a good way...that is that persons choice...Well Eleanor's choice was to become a bad person...manipulative...conniving...a liar and a murderer! She was cruel to both her daughters and in return Celeste became a selfish girl too...Jayne was raised good...so she had a heart and a conscience!
Jayne is reunited with her long lost bio mom and learns she has a twin sister...she visits them in Paris and learns her sister is pregnant...she is engaged to be married and Robert her fiance can not find out...they devise a plan that Jayne will pretend to be Celeste and take care of her sister during her pregnancy to keep it secret..and her mother will pay her as if she was staff...Jayne needs the money desperately because her adopted mom has cancer and is getting chemo...Jayne's mom manipulates and lies to Jayne the whole time...steals from her and blackmails her...Jayne isn't stupid though and discovers her evil moms secrets..and in the end she is the winner...but I don't think this stories done...Knowing Mike Wells...I think he has something sneaky up his sleeve for us here...and I cant wait to find out what it is!!!
GREAT STORY!! ALL OF MIKE'S STUFF IS GREAT...I RECOMMEND YOU BUY IT ALL AND LISTEN IMMEDIATELY!!!! LOL :)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews