Forbidden

by Jenika Snow

At twenty-three, I never expected coming home to feel like stepping into a painful memory.

Marcus married my mom when I was eighteen and already halfway out the door to college. We barely lived under the same roof for a year before I left for good.

Five years later, their marriage ended, and now I’m crashing in his house.

I came back expecting boxes, silence, and the awkward limbo of helping my ex-stepfather pack up the house to move out.

What I didn’t expect was the way Marcus looked at me… like I wasn’t the awkward eighteen-year-old again.

A lingering glance across the kitchen island. The slow brush of his knuckles when he passed me a coffee mug. And the low, rough way he said my name when the room felt suddenly too small, too quiet.

We broke every unspoken rule, crossed every line. Despite that, the man I was never supposed to want, the one who was once family by marriage, became the only one I’ll ever need.

Genres: Novella

ebook

Published March 9, 2026

About the author

Jenika Snow is a USA Today Bestselling Author, and has been a published writer since 2009.

She can be found at:

www.jenikasnow.com
FB: www.facebook.com/jenikasnow
Twitter: twitter.com/jenikasnow
Email: Jenika_Snow@yahoo.com

Reviews

[TheBookPlatypus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great taboo and sexy quick read from Jenika Snow.

What does one do when coming home to your mom’s recently divorced husband, your step-dad of the last five years - one whom you’ve had a huge crush on?!

You play the game and shoot your shot.

Lila is home after college and is helping Marcus pack up the house so he can sell it and move on.

It’s taboo.
It’s ex step-dad X step-daughter
Novella
HEA

“Such a filthy girl,” he muttered. “Getting wet from your stepdaddy spanking you.”

[Danielle's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you want a quick, spicy, forbidden romance? Jenika Snow has you covered.

Lila is returning home to help pack up her old house so her stepfather can move out. The second she arrives it’s obvious there are unfinished feelings between them but he’s her stepdad. It can only be platonic, right?

Marcus tries to resist Lila but now she’s older it’s hard. She’s been a big part of his heart for a long time now and maybe there’s more for their future.

This is a standalone with everything you’d expect from a Jenika Snow book.

[thebeespot72 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love surprises. Especially when one of my favorite authors does a surprise release. Jenika Snow dropped Forbidden the other day—part of the A Real Man novella series. How is it forbidden? It’s a romance between a former stepfather and an adult stepdaughter. Note that when the FMC was the step-daughter, she was 18 and off to college. After her mom and stepfather get divorced, she reconnects with him five years later. The forbidden vibe is still there for both of them, but more on his side.

Marcus fights his feelings, so torn up about how wrong it is to get with Lila. Lila takes the initiative most of the time, and I liked that a lot. There’s that push and pull that come on, do it! The spice was hot. And I love the HEA. I’ll always be up for surprise releases.

Thank you to Author Jenika Snow for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ 3🌶
Surprisingly fast paced novella that packs a bit of age gap and smut and plot. Falling for your step dad after you graduate from college and are back home to help clean up the house. This taboo tale blends spice and some plot in a fun size treat.

Tropes and triggers: age gap, step parent, forbidden romance, light bdsm, family dynamics

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.

[Rima-Chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A push and pull forbidden romance between a girl, coming home after getting her college degree and hearing of her mother's divorce, and her former (for a short time) stepfather. If you like taboo romance and want a quick and

spicy read, totally give this a go!

Spicy, age-gap and a bit of angst short novella

[Ashley Carr, LSoR · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is the undercurrent of sexual attention between Lila and Marcus. But the forbidden aspect is that Marcus is Lila‘s stepfather. She comes home from college and finds that her mother is divorcing Marcus. She decides to help him pack up the house to which they spend a lot of time together and cross lines. Can they come back from them once they have crossed?

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hot and spicy if you like that kind of book then go a head and read it.

[OooLaLa Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Shouldn’t Love This Taboo… But Wow

Besties... Jenika Snow really said “let’s play in the grey area” in "Forbidden (A Real Man)" , and I was... Here. For. It! 🤫

Lila, 23 years old, returns home expecting awkward small talk and a quick move-out situation with Marcus... her mom’s ex-husband and former stepfather. What she doesn’t expect? The tension that’s suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife. Five years ago she was the college girl living under the same roof. Now? She’s very much an adult… and Marcus definitely notices.👀

Now, this is one of those pseudo-taboo, morally messy, “should they? probably not… but do I want them to? absolutely” situations.🤭 And that’s exactly what makes it so addictive. Nothing about it is neat or black-and-white... it’s all delicious shades of grey. The lingering looks, the electric tension, the risk of being caught… it builds into a novella that is short, filthy, and wildly addictive.🫠

Jenika Snow knows exactly how to write desire that feels dangerous, and the spice in this one comes in hot. Age gap, power imbalance, a little exhibitionism, and chemistry that refuses to behave.🥵

If you love taboo romance that’s messy, passionate, and pure obsession fuel… this one is a quick read that absolutely delivers!😉

My Ratings:  ⭐ 5/5  ▪︎  🥵 4/5

🥀 For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤

[Elsa Reyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always a sucker for an unexpected release—especially when it comes from a favorite author—and this one absolutely delivered! Jenika Snow surprised readers with Forbidden, part of the A Real Man novella series, and I couldn’t dive in fast enough.

This story leans into a truly taboo dynamic, centering on a romance between a former stepfather and his now-grown former stepdaughter. Their connection began years earlier when she was already 18 and heading off to college, but life pulled them apart after her mother’s divorce. When they cross paths again five years later, the tension is immediate—and impossible to ignore.

Marcus is deeply conflicted, struggling with the morality of his feelings, which adds a lot of emotional depth. Lila, on the other hand, confidently goes after what she wants, and I loved seeing her take charge. That back-and-forth energy between them creates a compelling push-and-pull that keeps you hooked.

The chemistry is intense, the heat level is definitely there, and the emotional payoff hits just right. And yes—the happily ever after made it all the more satisfying.

Huge thanks to the author for the gifted copy—I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily. And honestly, if this is what surprise releases look like, I’ll take them any day!

[C_C · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

"Forbidden"
(A Real Man, 28)

By Jenika Snow


Read it in one lunch break; this is a short and spicy novella. 

It follows Lila and Marcus.

Lila is a 23 woman who is returning to her old house where she lived with her mother and her now ex-stepfather. Divorced, her mother left the house and there lives only her (once) stepfather.
They reconnect and, while Lila is helping Marcus pack the house (as he is selling it), they fight to contain their pull towards the other.
The feelings and the desire and the risk grow every day and every night.
And they keep fighting... until one day one of them can't resist any more.

"Some things are worth the risk," he finally said, voice rough around the edges.

And the short story, that started taboo-ish (he was her stepfather when she was 18, but I understand), develops into something more and more and more.

"Being with you is all I've been able to think about."

Thank you to Jenika, I'm a proud member of her AC team.

[Anna Morelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read that's all kinds of spicy and taboo.
Lila returns home after being away for four years for school. She's back for a new job and to help her ex-stepdad pack up his house before he sells it. And from the start there is tension between the both of them.

Lila, maybe because she is young and a little reckless, is down for starting something with Marcus from the beginning. Marcus being older and previously married to her mom is a little more conflicted. There is a lot of push and pull with moments that leave you wondering how everything is going to turn out.

I liked the story overall, it was quick and spicy. I also felt like the epilogue wrapped things up nicely. There were some things/issues that were repeated several times that got a little annoying but it didn't affect my opinion of the story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you're looking for a quick spicy read with some hot ex-stepdad content you should definitely check this one out.

[CharliReadsSmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ This is super short and perfect to pull you out a reading slump! ✨

Lila and Marcus have me all hot and bothered. Whilst Marcus & Lila’s mother are now divorced, this is still a taboo story. Lila is helping Marcus pack up the old family home and Lila’s done fighting her feelings.

❝𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭.❞

Marcus struggles with the feelings he’s has himself. Whilst he wants to give into this pull, he worries about others’ opinions and how this can impact Lila.

❝𝐌𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲.❞

Look, he might be struggling, but Marcus has a filthy mouth on him. And I’d be quite happy reading more of his filthy mouth 🫦

❝𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐤❞

🧱 Taboo (step dad)
❤️ Close Proximity
🧱 S3xual Tension
❤️ “I don’t want to fight it”
🧱 Spicyyyy Scenes

⭐️ 4.25/5
🌶️ 3/5

[Olivia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good short book, I read this very quickly & loved every taboo page! Lila is returning back to the house she left at 18 when she left for school but this time it’s only her step dad Marcus there as her mother & him divorced after things drifted apart. Well now that she is back & all grown things are becoming very heated & tension is rising between her & Marcus, when lines are crossed they can’t go back because the feelings are too real & this isn’t just a one off. Their relationship is looked at as forbidden or taboo but the feelings they share & the late nights together are very much real & so strong. I loved their story & oh my goodness don’t get me started on Marcus in the bedroom, he knew exactly how to take care of his very good girl! Overall such a quick fun read with the perfect amount of smut to top it off!

[Denise O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once Lila and Marcus cross that line there’s no going back. Lila should’ve have the feelings she has for her mother’s ex husband, her stepfather a man she shouldn’t want.

Marcus knows his feelings for Lila are wrong but he doesn’t know how to stop this forbidden love that could destroy them. Love sometimes doesn’t follow rules but maybe they are worth the risk. Marcus wants a future with her, he wants it all with her💕

This book has

🖤Taboo Romance
🖤Age Gap
🖤Power Imbalance
🖤Forbidden
🖤Secret
🖤Stepfather x Stepdaughter
🖤HEA

If you like a quick spicy forbidden romance then this is a must read.

[Michelle Shamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a taboo story about 23 year old ex step daughter and her much older ex stepfather. I’m totally on board with almost every taboo, but this one was a bit of a struggle for me. Just didn’t hit the way I was hoping it would. “Daddy” during s3x is a hard pass for me. Especially when it’s in an almost literal sense.
The writing itself though, phenomenal. Description. Yep, it was there. Maybe I was just in the wrong mindset at the moment for this one. I’ll probably come back at a later date after I’ve read it again. Thoughts might change at that point. But others by Jenika have been fantastic.

[MaddMoxxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Some Lines Are Meant to Be Crossed

This was a really quick and addictive read. The tension between Lila and Marcus is there right from the start and the forbidden dynamic definitely keeps things interesting. I liked the push and pull between them and how neither of them really wants to give in, even though it’s obvious where things are heading.

The chemistry is strong and the story kept me turning the pages. If you like taboo romance with a lot of tension, this one is worth picking up.

I received an advance reader copy from the author and am sharing my honest review.

[Evita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite an enjoyable quick read in Jenika’s Real Man series.

There is so much tension between Marcus and Lila, you see Marcus was Lila’s stepfather. She just came home from college and finds her mother divorcing him. Shes helping him pack up the house and in doing so, spend a lot of time together.

But once those barriers come down, their chemistry is just off the charts, they really were meant to be.

I for one love read tension filled, age gap stories.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝑺𝒐 𝒇--𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕, 𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒅. 𝑴𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒅𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒚.

I love that she's continuing this series. I've read most of them and have enjoyed them. They are quick, fun, smutty reads.

Lila & Marcus

Ex-stepdaddy and stepdaughter aren't taboo, at least not to me, so after reading how taboo it felt for the 9th time in this book, I was like, girl, stop, just do it already, we both know you want to give in to temptation, so stop beating around the bush and just bang your stepdaddy. 😂 FYI, she did, and they both loved it 😉😈

[Traci Cauthen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the real man series! Jenika gives exactly what you need! Was this story taboo absolutely! The best of the best! Marcus was Lila’s protective step dad…but only for a short while before college. When she returned to help move out of the family home after her mom’s divorce…sparks fly. This is a must read! This will be one of those books that I will reread over and over again. Jenika nails the short stories! Just enough to get through a tough day at work at breaks!

[Mrs Reads Between The Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden is a fast, steamy, must-read romance, that pushes all of the right taboo buttons! Marcus was only Lila's stepfather for a brief time, but when she returns from college to help him pack up the family home, their connection is undeniable.

This is unmissable for fans of Jenika Snow’s A Real Man Series!

*Please read trigger and content warnings.*

I received an advanced copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and steamy, taboo romance with all of Jenika Snow's goodness!
I read this story so quick. It has everything you need if you need that taboo romance with plenty of smutty scenes. Marcus and Lila have been in each other's lives for years, but now that Lila is back, feelings have developed between the two. Marcus tries to resist but Lila is perfect for him. I liked their story! Give it a try!

[Kim H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenika Snow is the ultimate Queen of ALL things taboo, risky, and dark!! I love her writing style so much, her intricate characters, and her story lines are always unique and interesting! This book is taboo with it being about step dad romance, age gap, exhibitionism, and hot graphic sex scenes! It is the supreme line being crossed, feelings that shouldn't happen, and the one person you shouldn't want!!

[Betsabe Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great short and spicy novella by Jenika Snow.

I really enjoyed this little novella. It was short, it was spicy but it had enough story that it not felt like it was just complete smut. The characters were adults and there was taboo aspects it did not give me the ick. Overall it's a good story. If you want a quick, spicy need novella as a pallet cleanser or break in between books, this is it.
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Oriana Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lila is back from college and moves in with her former Stepdad until he sells the house and she starts her new job. But things changed after five years of no contact. Her mother cheated on him, they divorced and now sparks fly between them. A fast paced bite sized forbidden romance,spicy hot and with a HEA😍
For safety lovers: Not safe because Marcus was intimate with Lila's mother while being married.

[Sierra loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
What a fun spicy novella. I love Jenika’s writing so much. I am obsessed with the forbidden relationship of this book, ex stepfather. The spice was heated in the book. If you’re looking for a fun short read this book is perfect.
Tropes-
-age gap
-forbidden
-novella
-ex stepfather

[Carlyn Zanidean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was about two people who could not deny how the felt for the other , even though it should have felt wrong. Both taking it slow , but knowing they are completely in love with the other. Love has no limits, it doesn't matter that there is a age gap, or that one was a ex step father. when it feels right, it is right.

[☆☆Nikki Burch☆☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo good. A hot little taboo romance between a 23 year old and her much older former stepfather. The proximity, the yearning, the "wrongness" all come together and it definitely delivered! I ate it up.

[Shirin Rasheed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden is a Spicy, Forbidden and Fithy Must read. It is a complete standalone but I would recommend readers to read each and every one of the books in Real Man series. They are so good and amazing.

I really enjoyed read this quick, Forbidden romanc3 and Highly Recommend it to all readers.

[Natasna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a taboo book between an ex-stepfather and his ex step daughter (he divorced her mom). She comes back t help him pack up the house and there is sexual tension between the two of them. He tries to fight it but she wants him to give in.

[Kami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenika has never steered me wrong with her books! Such amazing talent. Definitely taboo. If that's not your jam...move along. Marcus and Lila, are the Definitely of taboo. Age-gap, denying ones feelings for each other,spice is 🌶🌶🌶. A great short read, and a HEA.