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Forbidden Fruit: A Novel
For university professor Mia Rose Curry, it was all her course in alternative sexuality was a safe, socially acceptable way for her to talk about the things she desired most—but had never let herself experience. And while students crammed into her class to learn about fetishes, bondage, voyeurism, and much more, Mia kept her own raging desires, and her most private fantasies, carefully under wraps . . . until one man dared to make her secret passions a brazen reality.
Jagger James is everything Mia wants, and everything he’s gorgeous, daring—and a student. Yet Mia can’t help imagining his hands, his lips, his skin . . . all the while drawing closer and closer to this forbidden fruit. She soon discovers how much Jagger wants her, demanding that she abandon every inhibition with him. Now they are about to take a dangerous step, tempting each other’s flesh, savoring every touch and breaking every rule—knowing that this dazzling sensual feast is only a taste of something more to come. . . .
Includes an excerpt of Eden Bradley’s The Dark Garden
Jagger James is everything Mia wants, and everything he’s gorgeous, daring—and a student. Yet Mia can’t help imagining his hands, his lips, his skin . . . all the while drawing closer and closer to this forbidden fruit. She soon discovers how much Jagger wants her, demanding that she abandon every inhibition with him. Now they are about to take a dangerous step, tempting each other’s flesh, savoring every touch and breaking every rule—knowing that this dazzling sensual feast is only a taste of something more to come. . . .
Includes an excerpt of Eden Bradley’s The Dark Garden
227 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
38 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
Eden Bradley
134 books1,126 followersNew York Times & USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Eden Bradley aka Eve Berlin has published a number of novels and novellas, both print and e-books, with Berkley Heat, Bantam/Delta, Harlequin Spice & HQN, Black Lace Books and Samhain Publishing, as well as venturing into self-publishing. Her books have been translated into German, French, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Czech, Polish, Indonesian and Japanese. Eden has appeared regularly on Playboy Radio and conducts workshops on writing craft and writing about sex. Eden speaks regularly on BDSM safety, psychology & practice, as well as sexual positivity for women.
She loves art, shoes, tattoos, reading smutty books, chocolate and sex, of course, not necessarily in that order. You can visit her website: EdenBradley.com or her group FB page Dirty Minds Social Club!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdenBradley
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorEdenBradley.Ev...
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/11102...
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/edenandeve/
All of her book ratings at Goodreads reflect her favorite books, from those she loved to lifelong keepers.
She loves art, shoes, tattoos, reading smutty books, chocolate and sex, of course, not necessarily in that order. You can visit her website: EdenBradley.com or her group FB page Dirty Minds Social Club!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdenBradley
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorEdenBradley.Ev...
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/11102...
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/edenandeve/
All of her book ratings at Goodreads reflect her favorite books, from those she loved to lifelong keepers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
December 14, 2016
OMFG!!!!!!!!
Review posted at SoManyBooksSoLittleTime
Review posted at SoManyBooksSoLittleTime
November 12, 2008
This is a book that actually has two stories combined.
The first is Mia Rose who is a professor and teaches alternative sexuality. She is attracted to Jagger who is one of her students. He is 7 years younger than her and she knows as a student he is off limits. However, Jagger pursues her and eventually they explore Mia Rose's food fetish. Both have to overcome past hurts to find their HEA. This story was very sensual and love scenes very erotic. Who would have thought that food can be a turn on.
The second story involves Karalee who is also a professor. She is attracted to the history professor Gideon. One day Gideon pulls her into a closet at school and has his wicked way with her. This starts a string of exhibition sex which both of them crave. Gideon confuses Karalee by being very rough with her at times but very tender after sex. She realizes that she is falling in love with him and has to confront him due to his callous behavior.
If you are into exhibitionism this will not disappoint.
The first is Mia Rose who is a professor and teaches alternative sexuality. She is attracted to Jagger who is one of her students. He is 7 years younger than her and she knows as a student he is off limits. However, Jagger pursues her and eventually they explore Mia Rose's food fetish. Both have to overcome past hurts to find their HEA. This story was very sensual and love scenes very erotic. Who would have thought that food can be a turn on.
The second story involves Karalee who is also a professor. She is attracted to the history professor Gideon. One day Gideon pulls her into a closet at school and has his wicked way with her. This starts a string of exhibition sex which both of them crave. Gideon confuses Karalee by being very rough with her at times but very tender after sex. She realizes that she is falling in love with him and has to confront him due to his callous behavior.
If you are into exhibitionism this will not disappoint.
July 4, 2013
The story gets old very, very fast. It was interesting and intriguing enough at first. But as the story progresses, my attention begins to wind down.
I thought the anticipation was much more interesting than the deed itself. It lack the emotional connection that I was looking for. While the love scenes were hot, it lacks the 'oompph' factor. Maybe it was all the food that was involved in their sex lives. It was just too much, too distracting.
I thought the anticipation was much more interesting than the deed itself. It lack the emotional connection that I was looking for. While the love scenes were hot, it lacks the 'oompph' factor. Maybe it was all the food that was involved in their sex lives. It was just too much, too distracting.
September 25, 2010
4.5 stars. Wow! Fresh, different, sensual, erotic.
REVIEWER'S OPINION:
Well done erotic scenes with good stories. There were two couples in the story. One couple was a female professor and her student - a forbidden relationship, yet they couldn't stay away from each other. I was melting with the way they used food. The tasting and feeling of food was sensual and sexual. A second couple involved a woman who needed to be commanded and taken over. Gideon did that. He was mysterious and secretive. There was almost no talk early in their relationship. For their first encounter, he saw her, grabbed her hand, and took her into a janitor's closet without a word before or after. He told her what, where and when to do things. They had sex in public places with a risk of being seen. Their relationship was also well done. I had trouble deciding between 4 or 5 stars for Amazon. I rounded up to 5 since I would definitely recommend buying it, for someone looking for good erotic scenes. Note for some readers: there is one scene with rear door activity.
STORY BRIEF:
Mia is a professor teaching an Alternative Sexuality class. Jagger is 26. He was tired of being a successful chef and left his job to go back to school to major in psychology. He is immediately drawn to Mia. He asks her to coffee. He continues to pursue her. She is afraid of falling in love due to events in her past. The classroom topic of types of sexuality is a small part of the story. Most of the story is about relationships and events outside of the classroom.
Mia's best friend is fellow teacher Karalee. She is used to controlling her relationships with men and has never wanted to have a committed relationship. She meets Gideon who turns her world around with experiences she has never had or allowed herself to have before.
DATA:
Story length: 277 pages. Sexual language: strong/erotic. Number of sex scenes: 25. Total number of sex scene pages: 87. Setting: current day San Francisco, California. Copyright: 2008. Genre: erotic contemporary romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
To date I've read the following Eden Bradley books.
4.5 stars. Forbidden Fruit, Copyrt 2008. Review Date 10/31/08.
3 stars. Exotica. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 6/03/09.
2 stars. The Dark Garden. Copyrt 2007. Review Date 5/25/09.
1 star. A 21st Century Courtesan. Copyrt 2009. Review Date 4/17/09.
REVIEWER'S OPINION:
Well done erotic scenes with good stories. There were two couples in the story. One couple was a female professor and her student - a forbidden relationship, yet they couldn't stay away from each other. I was melting with the way they used food. The tasting and feeling of food was sensual and sexual. A second couple involved a woman who needed to be commanded and taken over. Gideon did that. He was mysterious and secretive. There was almost no talk early in their relationship. For their first encounter, he saw her, grabbed her hand, and took her into a janitor's closet without a word before or after. He told her what, where and when to do things. They had sex in public places with a risk of being seen. Their relationship was also well done. I had trouble deciding between 4 or 5 stars for Amazon. I rounded up to 5 since I would definitely recommend buying it, for someone looking for good erotic scenes. Note for some readers: there is one scene with rear door activity.
STORY BRIEF:
Mia is a professor teaching an Alternative Sexuality class. Jagger is 26. He was tired of being a successful chef and left his job to go back to school to major in psychology. He is immediately drawn to Mia. He asks her to coffee. He continues to pursue her. She is afraid of falling in love due to events in her past. The classroom topic of types of sexuality is a small part of the story. Most of the story is about relationships and events outside of the classroom.
Mia's best friend is fellow teacher Karalee. She is used to controlling her relationships with men and has never wanted to have a committed relationship. She meets Gideon who turns her world around with experiences she has never had or allowed herself to have before.
DATA:
Story length: 277 pages. Sexual language: strong/erotic. Number of sex scenes: 25. Total number of sex scene pages: 87. Setting: current day San Francisco, California. Copyright: 2008. Genre: erotic contemporary romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
To date I've read the following Eden Bradley books.
4.5 stars. Forbidden Fruit, Copyrt 2008. Review Date 10/31/08.
3 stars. Exotica. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 6/03/09.
2 stars. The Dark Garden. Copyrt 2007. Review Date 5/25/09.
1 star. A 21st Century Courtesan. Copyrt 2009. Review Date 4/17/09.
July 8, 2011
3.75 stars
There's something very addictive about Ms. Bradley's writing, and I think I know what it is now. Her descriptions, of everything from settings, to food, to love scenes, are exquisitely sensual. Decadent and voluptuous. That in itself makes her books worth reading, but when she combines that with tenderness and heat...whoa.
In Mia Rose and Jagger's story, the food theme made me skeptical, but by the end, just seeing the way Jagger used it to bring Mia Rose pleasure totally melted me. Because he did it for her, knowing she needed it. That's a great hero. I enjoyed their story the best in this book, and separately would give it a solid 4-4.25 stars.
With Karalee and Gideon's story, the sex was rough and hot, but I never felt an emotional connection between them, and I think this wasn't helped when we never got into Gideon's head to see what was going on for him inside. I liked the ending especially, when both characters finally laid their hearts bare to each other. On it's own, I'd rate it a 3-3.5 star read.
I like Ms. Bradley's voice so much I'm off to buy a book by her other pen name, Eve Berlin (Pleasure's Edge). Can hardly wait to curl up with my Kindle tonight!
There's something very addictive about Ms. Bradley's writing, and I think I know what it is now. Her descriptions, of everything from settings, to food, to love scenes, are exquisitely sensual. Decadent and voluptuous. That in itself makes her books worth reading, but when she combines that with tenderness and heat...whoa.
In Mia Rose and Jagger's story, the food theme made me skeptical, but by the end, just seeing the way Jagger used it to bring Mia Rose pleasure totally melted me. Because he did it for her, knowing she needed it. That's a great hero. I enjoyed their story the best in this book, and separately would give it a solid 4-4.25 stars.
With Karalee and Gideon's story, the sex was rough and hot, but I never felt an emotional connection between them, and I think this wasn't helped when we never got into Gideon's head to see what was going on for him inside. I liked the ending especially, when both characters finally laid their hearts bare to each other. On it's own, I'd rate it a 3-3.5 star read.
I like Ms. Bradley's voice so much I'm off to buy a book by her other pen name, Eve Berlin (Pleasure's Edge). Can hardly wait to curl up with my Kindle tonight!
May 8, 2012
Great erotica. Loved the secondary characters story almost as much as the main ones. And Jagger -what can I say?He had it going on...swoon, pant , swoon.
I really want to read The Secret Garden of Ms. Bradley's next.
I really want to read The Secret Garden of Ms. Bradley's next.
January 2, 2013
Absolutely hated it, in fact I didn't bother trying to finish the book.
October 6, 2023
DNF @50% Сладурска, но скучна. По-интересна ми е второстепенната двойка от централната, което е малко тъжно. Структурата доста куца, а историята прави заявки, които след 10% става пределно ясно, че няма никакво намерение да покрие. Да не говорим, че food фетиша никога не е бил моето нещо. Не го разбирам, не го намирам за секси. Насилвам се да я чета, което не е целта на занятието. Нямам скрупули да я оставя така и да си запазя хубавия спомен от преследването ѝ, така че всичко най-хубаво на Еден Брадли, но аз бях до тук.
August 17, 2014
Well I read this entire book starving! Food, food and more food (erotically used of course) is one of the main theme in this book. Great characters are exposed in Mia and Jagger...complex, passionate and sexually suited. I do feel that the story of Gideon wasn't necessary in this book as Mia and Jagger's story was strong enough to carry it alone.
January 28, 2013
Not really much of a storyline and lacked other characters. Was just about the sex between the two couples. Didn't form a "bond" with any of the four characters as did do with the characters in the Shades Of Grey series & Sylvia Day's Bared to you series. Think there needed to be more "outter" story rather than just the sexual encounters.
November 18, 2008
Something forbidden has never tasted so good!!
If you are looking for ideas for in the bedroom or anywhere for that matter this would be another reason to read this book.
If you are looking for ideas for in the bedroom or anywhere for that matter this would be another reason to read this book.
January 9, 2013
aaaah Jagger, Jagger!
Interesting story of food & fruitiness... alongside the relationship development of a colleague & her beau's liking for dangerous quickies!
Interesting story of food & fruitiness... alongside the relationship development of a colleague & her beau's liking for dangerous quickies!
January 13, 2015
Not bad at all. I'm glad I ignored the comparison to Fifty Shades, because that isn't enticing at all, nor is this book anything like it.
Read
July 15, 2015If you loved Fifty Shades of Grey . . . get ready to taste Forbidden Fruit.
^^^I didn't love 'that' book, so I'll pass on this one, too! Thanks for the heads up, in the synopsis.
^^^I didn't love 'that' book, so I'll pass on this one, too! Thanks for the heads up, in the synopsis.
August 23, 2019
It’s so bad...and not in the good way. Jagger James, a 26-yr-old successful chef, is bored with life and goes back to school and finds himself in an “Alternative Sexuality” class taught by an unbelievably young professor, Mia Rose Curry. Nevermind the lame last name “Curry,” as a hint to the woefully unexplored world of food fetish, they are, of course, instantaneously attracted to one another, despite their “age difference.” Really? A too young college professor and her oldest, 26-yr-old student and their age difference is a thing? Um, nope. Despite the potential taboos of student/teacher relations and/or age differences, none of that is ever explored. Mia’s food fetish ultimately is presented in the sort of PG-13 ways that ends up with the two of them getting sticky with chocolate sauce and, in the grand finale, canned whipped cream. Did someone say “boring,”? If you did, I wholeheartedly agree. Jagger’s fetish, the one that lead him to take her class is...water. Yup, water. H2O. Jagger’s penultimate yielding to his water fetish turns out to be little more than a wet t-shirt thing, not unlike what most Spring Breakers do at cheesy, theme restaurants and cheap college hotels.
While the romance between Jagger and Mia Rose plods along at a pace to bore the reader to sleep, there’s a concurrent storyline (“plot tangent” is way too strong of phrase) wherein Karalee, who is apparently Mia Rose’s bestie but how you’re supposed to know that is beyond this reader, finds herself falling in love with a (who knows how old or anything about him thanks to the most shallow character development outside of “See Spot Run”) man, Gideon. Gideon is evidently a man of means with a broken heart and a penchant for exhibitionism that mostly involves him ordering Karalee to abandon her undies so it’s one less thing he has to worry about while bending her over the hood of his car in (mostly) out of the way locations. How are the two storylines connected? Aside from one short chat between Mia Rose and Karalee at the beginning of the book, when Mia is bemoaning having Jagger in her class and another, similarly short chat toward the end of the book, your guess is as good as mine. In short, this book is downright bad, pedestrian, and not worth your time, especially if you really want something to sink your teeth and imagination into.
While the romance between Jagger and Mia Rose plods along at a pace to bore the reader to sleep, there’s a concurrent storyline (“plot tangent” is way too strong of phrase) wherein Karalee, who is apparently Mia Rose’s bestie but how you’re supposed to know that is beyond this reader, finds herself falling in love with a (who knows how old or anything about him thanks to the most shallow character development outside of “See Spot Run”) man, Gideon. Gideon is evidently a man of means with a broken heart and a penchant for exhibitionism that mostly involves him ordering Karalee to abandon her undies so it’s one less thing he has to worry about while bending her over the hood of his car in (mostly) out of the way locations. How are the two storylines connected? Aside from one short chat between Mia Rose and Karalee at the beginning of the book, when Mia is bemoaning having Jagger in her class and another, similarly short chat toward the end of the book, your guess is as good as mine. In short, this book is downright bad, pedestrian, and not worth your time, especially if you really want something to sink your teeth and imagination into.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2024
Honey Coated
I expected erotica when I picked this up, but I wasn't anticipating how much more to it there was. Jagger James may be forbidden, but he's oh so tempting as Mia Rose Curry quickly figures out.
I appreciate his pursuit, her retreat, a step or two forward, another retreat, and generally how it all played out. I expected to like this (why else pick it up, right?), but I found myself intrigued by it all and how they each cope with their past hurts to blaze a path forward.
Mia Rose and Jagger aren't the only ones with a salacious story to share. Karalee and Gideon are equally titillating with their workplace romance (too strong of a word, but it'll do) and multiple semi-public rendezvous. I'm entirely uncertain which couple I find hotter. Both couples have some hurdles to overcome, sure, but the sex is varied, kinky, and delicious, literally.
I borrowed the audio book. The narrator is Libby Hudson. She does a good job of bringing this to audio. I liked her and would listen to another book she's narrated.
Story: 3.5 stars
Narration: 3.5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.7x
H = 26; h = 33
I expected erotica when I picked this up, but I wasn't anticipating how much more to it there was. Jagger James may be forbidden, but he's oh so tempting as Mia Rose Curry quickly figures out.
I appreciate his pursuit, her retreat, a step or two forward, another retreat, and generally how it all played out. I expected to like this (why else pick it up, right?), but I found myself intrigued by it all and how they each cope with their past hurts to blaze a path forward.
She really had to put a stop to this insane attraction. Because that’s exactly what it was: insane. Jagger James was off-limits.
-- Mia Rose Curry
Mia Rose and Jagger aren't the only ones with a salacious story to share. Karalee and Gideon are equally titillating with their workplace romance (too strong of a word, but it'll do) and multiple semi-public rendezvous. I'm entirely uncertain which couple I find hotter. Both couples have some hurdles to overcome, sure, but the sex is varied, kinky, and delicious, literally.
I borrowed the audio book. The narrator is Libby Hudson. She does a good job of bringing this to audio. I liked her and would listen to another book she's narrated.
Story: 3.5 stars
Narration: 3.5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.7x
H = 26; h = 33
February 16, 2018
This book is really about 2 couples, but there's only a description about one of them on the back cover.
First, there's Mia and Jagger. They shouldn't even be dating in the first place because she's his college professor. She's teaching a class on "Alternative Sexuality" because she has a fetish for having food with her sexual relations. Meanwhile, Jagger has a fetish for water with his sex. Now, for me, I had a really tough time reading their sex scenes because I don't like having my own body coated in stickiness, so the thought of having caramel, honey, chocolate syrup dripping over body parts was a complete turn-off. I don't like humidity, and if I get the slightest bit of maple syrup on my fork while eating pancakes, I'm up to the sink and washing the stickiness off immediately. So reading scenes about these two having sex while covered in sticky whipped cream made me cringe, and I had to skim these scenes very quickly.
The second couple is Gideon and Karalee. Karalee is Mia's friend, and her story was more interesting to me. Gideon has a fetish for quickies in nearly public places. Karalee will just take him any way she can get him, and they have a few heartbreaking moments, which propelled the story along faster.
First, there's Mia and Jagger. They shouldn't even be dating in the first place because she's his college professor. She's teaching a class on "Alternative Sexuality" because she has a fetish for having food with her sexual relations. Meanwhile, Jagger has a fetish for water with his sex. Now, for me, I had a really tough time reading their sex scenes because I don't like having my own body coated in stickiness, so the thought of having caramel, honey, chocolate syrup dripping over body parts was a complete turn-off. I don't like humidity, and if I get the slightest bit of maple syrup on my fork while eating pancakes, I'm up to the sink and washing the stickiness off immediately. So reading scenes about these two having sex while covered in sticky whipped cream made me cringe, and I had to skim these scenes very quickly.
The second couple is Gideon and Karalee. Karalee is Mia's friend, and her story was more interesting to me. Gideon has a fetish for quickies in nearly public places. Karalee will just take him any way she can get him, and they have a few heartbreaking moments, which propelled the story along faster.
August 12, 2024
While the romance blooming between Mia and Jagger was enticing, I did not like the "romance" that sparked between Gideon and Karalee. The latter two's relationship seemed only to rely on control and sex, while the author tried putting it out to be of a romantic bond between the two. I tried going into this book with an open mind and was able to understand Jagger and Mia's relationship, but I felt no emotional connection between Gideon and Karalee--only a submissive getting off on being controlled by a dominant. Eden Bradley's book was a good read with strong language that kept the reader intrigued, but I feel she missed the mark on creating characters that held emotional connections with the readers.
January 10, 2022
If you want a book that is 75% steamy HOT scenes, 20% story line and 5% of Carolee (side character) acting like an idiot, then this is for you. I wish this story would have focused more on Mia Rose and Jagger’s story, and just left out Carolee and Gideon. Jagger was so amazing and so patient with Mia Rose. Mia Rose was hesitant because of her past that someone could accept her, so she pushed him away. Jagger kept coming back and showing her why he was the perfect man.
December 16, 2022
2 solid stars
I get that it was erotica, and sometimes the plot must be sacrificed for spice. But this story just droned on and on and on. Even the spice got boring.
I never once felt a connection to any of the characters. The spice was redundant, for the most part. I almost DNFed at 70% but I let the audiobook just kind of play in the background while I cleaned my house. The book itself is sadly somewhat forgettable.
I probably wouldn't recommend this book to friends.
I get that it was erotica, and sometimes the plot must be sacrificed for spice. But this story just droned on and on and on. Even the spice got boring.
I never once felt a connection to any of the characters. The spice was redundant, for the most part. I almost DNFed at 70% but I let the audiobook just kind of play in the background while I cleaned my house. The book itself is sadly somewhat forgettable.
I probably wouldn't recommend this book to friends.
March 12, 2021
I wish romance and erotica authors would consider the audiobook versions when naming their characters. "Oh Mia Rooooooose" got old pretty fast. And Jagger James? LOL. Common fetishes and male characters who are too-good-to-be-true in all the predictable ways.
December 25, 2025
This book was a surprisingly emotional ride. What starts as a fun, steamy premise quickly turns into a story about friendship, vulnerability, and the risks of following your heart. Jessie’s inner conflict felt very real, and I found myself rooting for her the whole time.
January 18, 2018
This was a good book.
October 5, 2020
I will never be able to look at food or showers ever again at the same way. Cute cute book.
December 4, 2021
dnf at 71%, boring and a classic take on this type of stories, the writing style annoyed me and so did the 'plot', rather the lack thereoff.. do not recommend
May 31, 2022
Screw Mia and Jagger, I AM IN LOVE WITH GIDEON!!!!!!
August 5, 2024
wtf did I just read
November 18, 2024
Started well than I lose interest
February 11, 2025
Not for me. Repetitive and boring. Lots of sex but little story.
May 1, 2025
Meehhhhhhhhhhhh
It was spicy but boring at the same time.
It was spicy but boring at the same time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews