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Forbidden

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When things are forbidden, you merely want them more…

Vice-president David should have had it all–nice cars, the most expensive restaurants and the finest clothes. But he hides a secret from all his colleagues–he’s gay. He’s too scared to come out at work so he spends his evenings cruising for company and frequenting strip clubs. In one such place, he meets pole dancer Jeremy, a young man with problems of his own. Jeremy’s controlled by his boss Donny and soon David’s interest starts to spell danger for them both…

Forbidden contains adult content suitable for mature readers only.

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2015

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Scarlet Blackwell

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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for SheReadsALot.
1,865 reviews1,263 followers
May 15, 2016
Let me start off by saying: A big THANK YOU to my surprise not-so-secret Santa who jizzernated this book to me because he's the bestest Stallion in the entire world (and fuck what ya heard). He gets all the stars, hearts, whatever cutesy rating system people come up with nowadays - hot dogs, bobsleds, kisses, staple guns, mugs, chia pets, etc. He gets them all! He's a 5++++infinity friend!! Thank you for this!!

U
R:


*smiles*

Now...maybe you want to leave the room? *smh* Probably not.

Okay...onto why this book made me wear the biggest WTF face in history! (I exaggerate - it was only for an hour or two.) But it's been sometime since I got ramrodded by Blackwell fuckery.

Forgive me.

This is a 2.5 bobsled hotdog stars at the most.

Y'see, I like rent boy stories. Wait, hold on...I love them. And the strippers. Oh, do I enjoy those stories too. And you might have seen me gush once or thirty times about billionaires. I like reading how the rich folk get with the poor folk. So "Forbidden" with the blue collared, down on his luck stripper (Jeremy), who also sells his ass on the side finally gets his HEA with a mild mannered wealthy gentleman (David) I had to have it.

I know what to expect with Blackwell. Sometimes when the cray-cray is reined just right, there can be magic. Other times it's "WTFuckery" (thanks Sara) and this is leaning heavily on those WTF letters. In fact this book is bent over while getting double rimmed by WT and fucking F in hotpants.



Triggers: Rape (off page), abuse, on page violence for those curious to try this path.

Jeremy is a stripper. He's being pimped, abused and raped (but seems so blase about it all) by a weird villain/club owner pimp. He sees closeted David one night and lets him touch his dick. It was magic. *rolls eyes* The two start a whirlwind...romance? Is that what it is? Probably to them because they had mushy thoughts when it was so soon and odd for their characters while David continues to hide in the closets for reasons (which aren't given). Both characters weren't as concrete as I'd have liked them, especially David who seemed to have a personality transplant somewhere around 60% or so.

But...

I'm conflicted.

The base part of me...she loved the fuck scenes, especially since more than half of the fuck scenes were in PUBLIC! And that is my SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT! Fucking on a stripper pole, orgies (that's right multiple), alleyway, pantry...



Sometimes the filler didn't make sense but it didn't seem like the author cared too much as long as we got to an awesome fuck scene. Who am I not to bask in PUBLIC fucking?



Even when the characters are weak as fuck, the telling got in the way and the suspense subplot was as strong as a overcooked noodle.

EXHIBITIONISM! Just ignore the nonsense and say yes to the genitals being shoved to and fro in public!

Now onto something else that is standard in a Blackwell 'American' story. *sigh* Let me find my fave gif.

This is the couple's initial meeting.
"Jeremy."
"Is that your stage name or real name?"
"Would I choose Jeremy as a stage name? It sounds like a British public school name."



Because American guys totally would think of Jeremy as a British public school name. Right? ;)

Scarlet Blackwell, I implore to you. If your characters think British, SPEAK BRITISH, the entire story's tone is British and the only thing supposedly tying them to my country of the US of A is just a couple of Googled American places, why not just set the book in the UK?

This is not the first time a reviewer has spoken out about Blackwell's 'American' stories. Sometimes it's funny when I read it, when I don't know what the hell the characters are talking about. But how many "kerbs" must I read about? I could gripe about some editing/ content issues but this isn't a review book for me.

The ending was rushed and slapped together with loose strings.

So much telling. I think I know why too, to fit another fuck scene in the book.

Was it scorching? Of course.

But so far from realistic.

Also whhhhhhhhhhhhhy end the story with such a loose end and then write that epilogue?



One of these days, my love of rent boy stories will bite me in the ass. Surprisingly, today is not the day.

Because I expect WTFuckery from this author.

Because though the plot was sort of lame, it sort of wasn't...but close to was. Yeah.

Because most importantly public sex.



Hey, we all have our crosses to bear.
Profile Image for Chelsea.
986 reviews7 followers
June 9, 2016
3.5 hearts!


So my first Scarlet Blackwell. I was warned she writes very crazy, over the top characters and stories, this book was definitely that! I don’t know if it was the forewarning but I really enjoyed this story.



David is the vice-president of a big corporate company and deep in the closet. He decides to check out a seedy gay strip club and falls in insta-lust with one of the dancers, Jeremy. Jeremy works for Donny, and here enters our caricature bad guy. Donny is a seedy club owner/pimp/rapist and has a special obsession for Jeremy.


I actually really liked David and Jeremy’s relationship, yes it's insta-lust/love, but if you know that going in, I think it works. They're both hesitant to start something serious, but can't deny the attraction and ‘connection’ they share. David still has to work through coming to terms with leaving the closet and Jeremy needs to escape the clutches of Donny. Their ‘connection’ was definitely more based on the physical than emotional, but they had enough deeper thoughts for it not to feel like pwp (porn without plot).

The stripping was really really good! I could have definitely used more dancing scenes.



Goodness this book was FULL of sex and it was HOT! It was rough and dirty and all round yummy! if this is normal of Blackwell books, I’m officially a fan.

The story lost a couple of points for me with the end scene, where David goes and ‘takes care’ of Donny. It was all a little too much to be good fun and when it was all over, Jeremy was sad because he didn’t have a job anymore… because that makes sense when your boss rapes you regularly.



This was such good crazy fun! if you know not to take this seriously and you enjoy crazy characters, over the top storylines and super hot sex, I’d say give this a go.




Profile Image for Ele.
1,319 reviews40 followers
March 26, 2016
**2.75 stars**

Hop on the crazy train, everyone!



What is it about the Scarlet Blackwell madness, that lures me in every time? It's insanity, the plot is all over the place and there are the biggest WTF scenes ever. But when a new book comes out, I'm adding it so fast I'm close to spraining my finger. Could be the great chemistry, or the scorching hot sex. Or the rollercoaster that never stops.

I'm afraid Forbidden was not among my favorite rollercoasters.

So what we have here is a closeted businessman, David, and Jeremy, a rent-boy-dancer-waiter-vallet (what, can't a person hold 4 different jobs? Just roll with it).

David frequents the club where Jeremy works, and is infatuated by him. They, also, keep bumping into each other in all these places where Jeremy works (what, you don't believe in 4823... coincidences? I said roll with it.)

And then they take part in a club orgy. No wait, it's not how it starts. At first, it was just Jeremy and David on stage, and then it turned into an orgy. So, I rolled with it. After I got over the initial shock of seeing every patron in the club just hopping on stage to have a small taste.

Yeah, if you have a voyeuristic or exhibisionistic streak, you 'll clap excitedly during almost all sex scenes.

The villain of this story is Jeremy's pimp and owner of the club, Donny. He's also kind of obsessed with Jeremy and goes to extremes to make sure he stays away from David. Like um...



At some point and in the middle of another orgy all of a sudden, the plot turns suspensful and there's a little bit of action thrown in.

So, I was minding my own business, rolling with it, until the end.



In all seriousness now, there just wasn't enough page time for Jeremy and David. The time they actually spent together, it was just to have sex, and nothing more. It didn't even justify Donny being so jealous over their little "romance", and I certainly didn't buy the "I love yous". And the WTF ending was just the cherry on top.

But there is a very nice epilogue!

If you 're a fan of the author, I suggest that you give Forbidden a shot. If you 're not...I don't know what to tell you. All I know is that when Scarlet Blackwell writes, I read.

You just have to learn to roll with it.

Best quote:
"His tailor needed firing though. Like Donald Trump and his wig, money couldn’t buy class."


*Review posted on Gay Book Reviews.*
Profile Image for Didi.
1,535 reviews86 followers
December 7, 2015
2.5 stars

First of all, this book was kindly given to me by still-yet-to-be-revealed Secret Santa's Assistant. So, thank you SSA - whoever you are. / mrwah /

As for the book... It's Scarlet Blackwell's, we knew what to expect with her books. Hot scenes galore, front to back. Fast. Hot. Steamy. Add-in a bit of B-rate movie actions too... y'knaw, the good guy vanquished the bad guy and all that. Probably a clash of Pretty Woman and Rambo with the aura of 9 1/2 Weeks. *snorts*

Just expect a LOT of sex, even orgy. With a HEA of course.

At least tis time the MC was not an ass. Much. XD

A steamy read for cold weather.
Profile Image for Kazza.
1,577 reviews173 followers
December 3, 2015
Sexy, easy reading about a stripper/rentboy/exotic dancer who falls for a closeted businessman, and said businessman who falls for stripper/rentboy/exotic dancer. Pimp/club owner, without a heart of gold, was included in the mix. Plenty of sexy times - without a bed in sight.

All being said and done, there were a couple of niggles, but not enough to detract from the overall reading pleasure. I really enjoyed Forbidden. It was hot and I was in the right mood for heat with some likeable MCs, so it worked. If you’re on the lookout/feeling in the mood for an erotic gay romance novella, with some chemistry and extra steam, and there really is sizzle here, as well as a bit of bad guy action on the side, this is a good one to grab. I’ve never read this author before but, wow, Scarlet Blackwell can sure ramp up the heat and I’d definitely read more by her after Forbidden.

Review at

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Profile Image for Susan65.
1,654 reviews53 followers
December 14, 2015
What a dirty, dirty book…and just what I needed. Jeremy is a pole dancer slash rent boy slash waiter and whatever other menial jobs he can grab in order to cover his rent and live. David is a rich, closeted vice president in his firm who denies and hides his real sexuality. When he needs a date for a function he hires a female escort, but what he dreams of is the dancer Jeremy. These two are instantly attracted to the other but they both realize they are not good together. The rich man poor boy scenario is not conducive for either one of them. Of course, the back room of the club is the scene of many a sexploitation and, damn, what boils between these two guys singes the pages of the book.

This is dirty, but oh, so, hot and sexy. You want these two to find a way to make it work, but there is also the club owner, Jeremy’s boss, to contend with. He not only acts as a pimp, but has an unnatural attachment to Jeremy and is not willing to share him with David…for money, yes, but once he sees the focused interest in David’s eyes he cuts him off. One would think a rich man had contacts to help him and Jeremy out, but David is still dealing with his own closet so that avenue is closed for now.

I really liked this book for the most part, I loved the theme, the sex, the plot, and the characters. The only issue I had was the ending. It was built up and then fizzled…and I am still unsure how it all panned out. David’s boss didn’t notice his black eyes and, in my mind, pretended to not know what transpired the night before, which seemed like a far stretch. David getting the upper hand on a trained thug while tussled seemed a little unbelievable, as well. But, that aside, the majority of the book was very pleasurable and filled with enough naughty to plant it firmly in the four star category.

The Blogger Girls
Profile Image for Beebs.
550 reviews42 followers
May 16, 2016
This is a very short read, only 85 pages. I liked the premise, Pole dancer and company VP. But it was too short for the story to really develop, there was so much potential here, Jeremy's boss was a nasty piece of work and there is something really shady going on at David's Company but there is no resolve to any of that. So, good if you're looking for a quick read to fill in a couple of hours, there is a happy ending but no satisfactory answers IMHO.


*ARC received from Nine Star Press in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Anita.
2,030 reviews27 followers
December 7, 2015
This is my first Scarlet Blackwell read. Odd little sexy read with some film-noirish overtones - bad guy with muscle-head henchmen. Bad guy says, "he sleeps with the fishes." Wow, haven't heard that line since The Godfather, part 1!! Anyway, lots of sex, some violence that, surprisingly was well done. David is deep in the closet because of his position at a large company in California. He uses female escorts to attend his business functions, but then seeks tawdry hookups with men in bars, clubs. During a visit to a male strip club, he sees a beautiful blonde performing on the pole, Adam/Jeremy, and over the course of several weeks, is in thrall with him. But Jeremy has a problem - in the form of the strip club owner, Donny. So there's lots of sex both in the club and between Jeremy and David and some interesting stuff going on with David's employer and colleagues. Turns out Donny is quite the miscreant because David finds himself in trouble for seeking out Jeremy! There were some distracting Britishisms - wanking, a tin of fruit, put his coat in the cloakroom, Jeremy's mate - but the book takes place in Southern California, West Hollywood/LA, etc and I don't think the two MCs were English. Just took me out of the story every so often. So some sex, bit of violence, fisticuffs and an HEA. Nice little palate cleanser...
Profile Image for Cathy Brockman.
Author 5 books95 followers
December 1, 2015
: Forbidden is a short, sexy tale of a successful businessman that is fully in the closet. David goes into a male strip club not knowing what to expect. He is star struck with a young sexy stripper and can’t stop going.
What ensues is angst, drama, taboo and a very hot romance. I liked this story. I liked both characters. Each has their secrets. There is some really slimy characters as well that I loved to hate. If you are a fan of Scarlet’s you will be familiar with the dark, angst that leads to at least a happy for now ending.
There is violence, dubious consent, and orgies, along with the romance.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Profile Image for Antisocial Recluse.
2,712 reviews
June 12, 2017
Highly improbable smut fest. Rich man/rent boy/evil pimp trope, with rich closeted gay man, because of business. I really hate that reason for not coming out. Not like he's desperate to keep his job, just his high-end lifestyle. PWP.
Profile Image for Caroline Brand.
1,755 reviews68 followers
April 5, 2016
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE

This story was all over the place but if you leave reality at the door when you sit down for the couple of hours it takes to read it you will probably have a bit of fun with it.

Jeremy is a stripper – he’s also a valet, a barman and he works at events. All these jobs are tied up to a menace of a boss who abuses him and rapes him just for shits and giggles but the really odd thing is that Jeremy doesn’t complain about it and does nothing to stop it.

David is the older businessman who has kept himself in the closet through fear. When he needs a partner he hires one from an agency. One glimpse at Jeremy dancing and he is smitten and all of sudden he’s throwing caution to the wind paying for back room blowjobs and partaking in orgies on a stripper pole.

I could just about believe the insta-lust and get past the stalking but then the company David works for holds a party and the stretch on my reality was too big an ask. The connections weren’t explained – I mean how did that even happen? – then the next day at work it was as though nothing had happened. Then it ended and nobody was accountable and I was left with no idea of what was going on. David got a new secretary and it was perfect and crazy and I don’t know what.

Like I said leave your reality at the door and hold on tight. It was fun even if it made no sense.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews