What do you think?
Rate this book
All The Forbidden Things
When all that you want, is all that’s forbidden...
I’ve known him my entire life.
Before marriage.
Before fatherhood.
Before betrayal.
Now, he’s one of rock’s bad-boys trying to be good.
Trying to be the best father he can for his daughter.
He’s my brother’s best friend.
He’s my boss.
He has a wife.
Max isn’t mine to have, but I want him all the same.
And I haven’t survived all that I have to not go after what I want.
Her story is a tragedy, mine’s a publicity disaster.
Just when I needed her most, she walked back into my life, and the timing couldn’t be worse.
With a newborn baby, a divorce, an album to record, and a world tour to plan, I don’t need the distraction.
She’s off limits.
She’s my best friend’s little sister.
She’s my nanny.
Billie’s a golden drop of sexy sun on a grey autumn day, tempting me into the light and a life full of possibilities.
A life not meant for us.
I’ve known him my entire life.
Before marriage.
Before fatherhood.
Before betrayal.
Now, he’s one of rock’s bad-boys trying to be good.
Trying to be the best father he can for his daughter.
He’s my brother’s best friend.
He’s my boss.
He has a wife.
Max isn’t mine to have, but I want him all the same.
And I haven’t survived all that I have to not go after what I want.
Her story is a tragedy, mine’s a publicity disaster.
Just when I needed her most, she walked back into my life, and the timing couldn’t be worse.
With a newborn baby, a divorce, an album to record, and a world tour to plan, I don’t need the distraction.
She’s off limits.
She’s my best friend’s little sister.
She’s my nanny.
Billie’s a golden drop of sexy sun on a grey autumn day, tempting me into the light and a life full of possibilities.
A life not meant for us.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2019
515 people are currently reading
1601 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Jones
23 books2,378 followersLesley Jones is a NYT's best selling, and internationally acclaimed author known for her emotionally charged novels featuring gritty, down-to-earth characters navigating angsty, raw and emotional plot lines.
Born and raised in Essex, England, Lesley and her family relocated to Australia in 2006.
Her writing career launched in 2013 with her debut novel, Saviour - Since rewritten and republished as Saving Ren - And quickly gained a loyal following for her unique ability to pivot from hot and steamy romance to emotionally charged, ugly cry scenes, often followed by laugh-out-loud moments, all within the span of a few sentences.
Her third novel The Story of Us, book 1 in her New York Times best selling Carnage Series, became her breakout success, hitting multiple bestseller lists and winning several awards, including the distinctive title of Best Ugly Cry.
For Lesley, the most rewarding part of her job is connecting with her readers, whether that be sharing personal stories about her hectic family life in her reader group, or in person at signing events around the world.
When not writing, Lesley is a self-confessed lover of reality TV, long walks, travelling and dining out.
When doing none of these, she enjoys a full bodied red, or a large G&T, preferably while wearing pyjamas and no bra unless absolutely necessary.
Born and raised in Essex, England, Lesley and her family relocated to Australia in 2006.
Her writing career launched in 2013 with her debut novel, Saviour - Since rewritten and republished as Saving Ren - And quickly gained a loyal following for her unique ability to pivot from hot and steamy romance to emotionally charged, ugly cry scenes, often followed by laugh-out-loud moments, all within the span of a few sentences.
Her third novel The Story of Us, book 1 in her New York Times best selling Carnage Series, became her breakout success, hitting multiple bestseller lists and winning several awards, including the distinctive title of Best Ugly Cry.
For Lesley, the most rewarding part of her job is connecting with her readers, whether that be sharing personal stories about her hectic family life in her reader group, or in person at signing events around the world.
When not writing, Lesley is a self-confessed lover of reality TV, long walks, travelling and dining out.
When doing none of these, she enjoys a full bodied red, or a large G&T, preferably while wearing pyjamas and no bra unless absolutely necessary.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
September 10, 2019
4.5 Stars
This was an absolutely fantastic read! A rockstar, single dad, age gap romance that delivered a great storyline full of angst and gave me ALL THE FEELS!!!
Max is the reformed British rockstar bad boy who is now older and has learned from his mistakes. He is now a new dad and is unexpectedly thrown into parenthood by himself. Cue the swooning please! Seeing this bad ass rocker take on the responsibility of caring for his baby girl will have your ovaries spinning. His love for his daughter and the fierce need to protect her at all costs just about made me fall head over heels for this man.
As much as he is a good dad, even he realizes he needs help especially with the demanding job he has. Billy is the perfect nanny choice. She is trustworthy and is his best friend's sister. She is also 16 years younger. He held her as a newborn and watched her grow up. Max hasn't seen Billy for a few years as she went away for college and then work in the U.S. So when she returns he is shocked to see the sexy grown woamn she has become. Gah! The attraction was instantaneous, pulsing and out of control! The tension was so tight and you could feel the lust rolling over them. Any relationship would be forbidden on so many levels and the push and pull had me on the edge of my seat.
This plot is full of intrigue and angst as there is a lot of drama created by Max's wife in addition to the element of fame and Max having to deal with the paparazzi. The story played out so well and Max and Billy's relationship gets attacked in all directions. Despite all this, we see them fall in love and this book also made me very emotional. As much as there was steam and angst, there was also a lot of sweet that squeezed at my romantic heart.
I fell in love with both Billy and Max. These are sexy, edgy characters and I enjoyed all the british colloquialisms. The supporting characters of the other band members also felt completely essential to the story and I loved their family like dynamics. I also enjoyed how much the author made me hate the bad guys in this story! Who doesn't love a good vs evil plot where the good guys eventually overcome?
I adored this book and I 100% recommend it!
4.5 Stars
Contemporary Forbidden Romance
Heat Level: Moderate
POV: Dual
HEA
Follow me for your next comfort read!
This was an absolutely fantastic read! A rockstar, single dad, age gap romance that delivered a great storyline full of angst and gave me ALL THE FEELS!!!
Max is the reformed British rockstar bad boy who is now older and has learned from his mistakes. He is now a new dad and is unexpectedly thrown into parenthood by himself. Cue the swooning please! Seeing this bad ass rocker take on the responsibility of caring for his baby girl will have your ovaries spinning. His love for his daughter and the fierce need to protect her at all costs just about made me fall head over heels for this man.
As much as he is a good dad, even he realizes he needs help especially with the demanding job he has. Billy is the perfect nanny choice. She is trustworthy and is his best friend's sister. She is also 16 years younger. He held her as a newborn and watched her grow up. Max hasn't seen Billy for a few years as she went away for college and then work in the U.S. So when she returns he is shocked to see the sexy grown woamn she has become. Gah! The attraction was instantaneous, pulsing and out of control! The tension was so tight and you could feel the lust rolling over them. Any relationship would be forbidden on so many levels and the push and pull had me on the edge of my seat.
This plot is full of intrigue and angst as there is a lot of drama created by Max's wife in addition to the element of fame and Max having to deal with the paparazzi. The story played out so well and Max and Billy's relationship gets attacked in all directions. Despite all this, we see them fall in love and this book also made me very emotional. As much as there was steam and angst, there was also a lot of sweet that squeezed at my romantic heart.
I fell in love with both Billy and Max. These are sexy, edgy characters and I enjoyed all the british colloquialisms. The supporting characters of the other band members also felt completely essential to the story and I loved their family like dynamics. I also enjoyed how much the author made me hate the bad guys in this story! Who doesn't love a good vs evil plot where the good guys eventually overcome?
I adored this book and I 100% recommend it!
4.5 Stars
Contemporary Forbidden Romance
Heat Level: Moderate
POV: Dual
HEA
Follow me for your next comfort read!
March 7, 2020
This is a very lovely read. A wonderful read. More than I expect. I went into this book blind. Not knowing what to expect. When I read the blurp, I expecting a childhood crush romance.
This is a story between a very sassy, fierce and smart woman,Billie and her childhood crush, Max. Max has a shitty shitty day when his wife told him she has been having affair behind his back. Then his day just keep getting worse. Billie came into his life as a his nanny. Yes I know the nanny romance. But this book is good. It has more than just hot romance between a boss and a nanny.
It has twist on the plot that keeps me going. The curve ball at the end really throwing the end off balance. It touches a reality life of rich and famous. Also what is real. The banter is actually cute. Smart and sassy especially from Billie. The chemistry is sizzling. Or should I said crackle....
Overall this is a wonderful read.
4 stars
This is a story between a very sassy, fierce and smart woman,Billie and her childhood crush, Max. Max has a shitty shitty day when his wife told him she has been having affair behind his back. Then his day just keep getting worse. Billie came into his life as a his nanny. Yes I know the nanny romance. But this book is good. It has more than just hot romance between a boss and a nanny.
It has twist on the plot that keeps me going. The curve ball at the end really throwing the end off balance. It touches a reality life of rich and famous. Also what is real. The banter is actually cute. Smart and sassy especially from Billie. The chemistry is sizzling. Or should I said crackle....
Overall this is a wonderful read.
4 stars
September 1, 2019
First page had me falling in love with Max Young. I was gone 🥰
After Sean Maca, Les creates another wronged man, whose life has turned topsy turvy In a matter of minutes. A man who can shed tears & show his vulnerability when overwhelmed with life, gets straight entry in my heart, it makes me want to cuddle him
“I want to be loved, Mum. I don’t want it to be about the fame, the band, or the money. I just want someone to love me. And I’m scared. I’m fucking terrified now that I’ll never have that."
A baby.
A disastrous public life.
Betrayal
He has all of them and deserves none at all.
Yet here he is...
Totally naked.
Semi-hard.
Zero fucks left to give.
Lesley created Carnage family and that both involved & invested in their lives. She repeats with this new family she creates in Young, Wild and Rong . All the characters are likeable, lovable and relatable.....as much as you can have affinity with Rock Star Celebrities, that is!!. Their lives are scrutinized, hounded and judged by constant media rags and gossip columns. As it is the creative people are more sensitive and sentimental, they think with their hearts. Now add to that the pressure of being under constant surveillance, and you have perfect recipe of biased publicity disaster. it's harsh and totally unfair but it's part of the package of fame
"What the fuck is happening to my life?"
Back to the story. Sentiments are raw and emotions are stripped naked.
Max Young has a massive responsibility on his hands and he needs a nanny. Step in Billie, Cal's young sister.
"Billie is a ripe, juicy, very forbidden fruit, but what I feel for her is far too important to me to involve her in the shitshow of my life."
She's hurt, broken, coming back home. The ready-made solution is what they BOTH need and their situation just fits together perfectly.....but for Whitney who's the new Whorley😡
Her dilemma is real and heartbreaking
"He’s a married man. He’s my boss. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s all the forbidden things."
Lesley gives her characters enviable rich and famous lives but not an easy ride. They have to endure heartbreak of epic proportions and betrayals just like the commoners and this story is no different.
As much as i fell head over heels in love with soft hearted Max, Billie steals the show with her maturity. She's forced to grow up overnight, steels up her resolve to live and live fearlessly. And then she gives Max the crutches he needs for Layla.
I loved that it didn't become cheesy at any point. There was a rare occurrence of miscommunication leading to misunderstanding between the couple and Les didn't unnecessarily stretch it out.
Loved seeing some oldies guiding the newbies. Loved the family dynamics and supporting cast of characters too, how they were there for each other.
Enjoy this hell of ride through breakups, breakdowns and breakthroughs in a Rockstar life
4.5 Autumn Sunshine stars
#BookBistroBlogApproved
Follow me :
BookBistroBlog@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/BookBistroBlog
www.instagram.com/BookBistroBlog
https://Bookbistroblogger.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookB...
After Sean Maca, Les creates another wronged man, whose life has turned topsy turvy In a matter of minutes. A man who can shed tears & show his vulnerability when overwhelmed with life, gets straight entry in my heart, it makes me want to cuddle him
“I want to be loved, Mum. I don’t want it to be about the fame, the band, or the money. I just want someone to love me. And I’m scared. I’m fucking terrified now that I’ll never have that."
A baby.
A disastrous public life.
Betrayal
He has all of them and deserves none at all.
Yet here he is...
Totally naked.
Semi-hard.
Zero fucks left to give.
Lesley created Carnage family and that both involved & invested in their lives. She repeats with this new family she creates in Young, Wild and Rong . All the characters are likeable, lovable and relatable.....as much as you can have affinity with Rock Star Celebrities, that is!!. Their lives are scrutinized, hounded and judged by constant media rags and gossip columns. As it is the creative people are more sensitive and sentimental, they think with their hearts. Now add to that the pressure of being under constant surveillance, and you have perfect recipe of biased publicity disaster. it's harsh and totally unfair but it's part of the package of fame
"What the fuck is happening to my life?"
Back to the story. Sentiments are raw and emotions are stripped naked.
Max Young has a massive responsibility on his hands and he needs a nanny. Step in Billie, Cal's young sister.
"Billie is a ripe, juicy, very forbidden fruit, but what I feel for her is far too important to me to involve her in the shitshow of my life."
She's hurt, broken, coming back home. The ready-made solution is what they BOTH need and their situation just fits together perfectly.....but for Whitney who's the new Whorley😡
Her dilemma is real and heartbreaking
"He’s a married man. He’s my boss. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s all the forbidden things."
Lesley gives her characters enviable rich and famous lives but not an easy ride. They have to endure heartbreak of epic proportions and betrayals just like the commoners and this story is no different.
As much as i fell head over heels in love with soft hearted Max, Billie steals the show with her maturity. She's forced to grow up overnight, steels up her resolve to live and live fearlessly. And then she gives Max the crutches he needs for Layla.
I loved that it didn't become cheesy at any point. There was a rare occurrence of miscommunication leading to misunderstanding between the couple and Les didn't unnecessarily stretch it out.
Loved seeing some oldies guiding the newbies. Loved the family dynamics and supporting cast of characters too, how they were there for each other.
Enjoy this hell of ride through breakups, breakdowns and breakthroughs in a Rockstar life
4.5 Autumn Sunshine stars
#BookBistroBlogApproved
Follow me :
BookBistroBlog@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/BookBistroBlog
www.instagram.com/BookBistroBlog
https://Bookbistroblogger.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookB...
Read
May 25, 2021As the evil, cheating, junkie, bad mother, soon to be ex-wife runs circles around the H and the heroine alerting press and the police at random, all I could think of was...
Dude, you are a rock star!
Where is your PR person?
Use your money to get a PI that will dig up mega dirt.
Where are your Blind Items on your cheating, druggie, soon to be ex? I can refer you to some good websites.
Spin it. Spin the problem.
Why not a preemptive exposee interview?
You've known the heroine since she was 8 and you were 24?
Protect your sweet little plot moppet.
Dude, you are a rock star!
Where is your PR person?
Use your money to get a PI that will dig up mega dirt.
Where are your Blind Items on your cheating, druggie, soon to be ex? I can refer you to some good websites.
Spin it. Spin the problem.
Why not a preemptive exposee interview?
You've known the heroine since she was 8 and you were 24?
Protect your sweet little plot moppet.
September 14, 2019
REVIEW: 4 STARS
"This man. He's been so very badly broken, and yet, still, he has so much love to give."
So in the beginning, I struggled with this one in more than one way and that didn't bode well for my first experience with Miss Jones' writing style. This review also started out on a whole other foot. I ended up putting it down and walking away because I was thisclose to DNF'ing it. I loved the actual storyline and I knew there was more to it, so I knew I needed to step away for a minute and come back to it. I am SO glad I did. Because, let's be honest, the general storyline? I really liked the idea of it. I liked that it was a best friends younger sister trope as that is one of my favorites and I gravitate towards them. Forbidden with reality is one of my favorites...it just is. And so, here I stand corrected and happy that I gave it another go. I really am so happy.
I did have a laugh at myself with myself in the beginning. All the different words, the phrasings, the sayings they use over there - the variables between our languages made me double take at some of the words and it gave me pause and a chuckle and put a smile on my face. Some I didn't even know what was being said, but it still made me giggle.
While it took me a bit to actually warm up to the story, the voice, the style, once it picked up, I was golden. Because when Billie and Max see each other again after all those years....that's when the sparks flew and that's when the story took a turn and I became glued to my kindle. The story became one that I couldn't put down. I love when artistic types of men are portrayed as strong but very in-tune with their feelings - and I feel like Jones nailed Max's character. His visual, his actions - they all worked so well for me and I was able to connect with him and Billie quite easily. It's not always an alpha, growling man taking charge - but sometimes it's the more possessive type with the moody, broody eyes and the heart of gold that pull at your heartstrings. I'm good with both. And the cover most definitely lent a 'picture' as she described everything Max was doing within the book....and it was a nice visual, I won't lie.
Billie went through.....some sh!t. Legit, life changing drama that did pull at my heartstrings a bit. There was some honest emotion within the pages of this book, and her strength shined for me. So, between Max and Billie and their own craziness that they dealt with, their coupledom was a great one to watch unfold.
MY TRUTH: it truly frustrates me when I'm not loving a book or an author's voice as much as others are. When they're raving about how much they loved it, or how it affected them and I'm just not feeling it - that's really hard to swallow sometimes. I know we all love to 'feel' our books, and we love the journey they put us on....but sometimes that journey gets muddied for me by other mitigating factors. It's never generally my mood because I am not a mood reader, but I would be a liar if I said that didn't influence how I perceived a book every once in a while. Usually it's the style of writing, or the way the author inflects the tone with her words. So, for me, this one started out okay, but about one third of the way through, it picked up exponentially and I couldn't put it down after that. The most frustrating parts for me were when I would get repetitive passages. I didn't need a memory from one character and a then a full recount from another - about the same memory. So that made this book seem a whole lot longer than it should have in some spots, and for that I was really bummed. Thankfully, it was short lived because it seemed to stop and the story had a better flow once we got into the crux of the storyline.
I AM VERY ON BOARD NOW. I cannot wait for more books in this world, and I am looking forward to the next book that has been hinted at because, again - #FORBIDDEN.
"Our us involves all of the forbidden things."
~BEE
Amazon Affiliate linK: https://amzn.to/32GUzdY
Enter here to win an ecopy: http://bit.ly/2kJZlHq
"This man. He's been so very badly broken, and yet, still, he has so much love to give."
So in the beginning, I struggled with this one in more than one way and that didn't bode well for my first experience with Miss Jones' writing style. This review also started out on a whole other foot. I ended up putting it down and walking away because I was thisclose to DNF'ing it. I loved the actual storyline and I knew there was more to it, so I knew I needed to step away for a minute and come back to it. I am SO glad I did. Because, let's be honest, the general storyline? I really liked the idea of it. I liked that it was a best friends younger sister trope as that is one of my favorites and I gravitate towards them. Forbidden with reality is one of my favorites...it just is. And so, here I stand corrected and happy that I gave it another go. I really am so happy.
I did have a laugh at myself with myself in the beginning. All the different words, the phrasings, the sayings they use over there - the variables between our languages made me double take at some of the words and it gave me pause and a chuckle and put a smile on my face. Some I didn't even know what was being said, but it still made me giggle.
While it took me a bit to actually warm up to the story, the voice, the style, once it picked up, I was golden. Because when Billie and Max see each other again after all those years....that's when the sparks flew and that's when the story took a turn and I became glued to my kindle. The story became one that I couldn't put down. I love when artistic types of men are portrayed as strong but very in-tune with their feelings - and I feel like Jones nailed Max's character. His visual, his actions - they all worked so well for me and I was able to connect with him and Billie quite easily. It's not always an alpha, growling man taking charge - but sometimes it's the more possessive type with the moody, broody eyes and the heart of gold that pull at your heartstrings. I'm good with both. And the cover most definitely lent a 'picture' as she described everything Max was doing within the book....and it was a nice visual, I won't lie.
Billie went through.....some sh!t. Legit, life changing drama that did pull at my heartstrings a bit. There was some honest emotion within the pages of this book, and her strength shined for me. So, between Max and Billie and their own craziness that they dealt with, their coupledom was a great one to watch unfold.
MY TRUTH: it truly frustrates me when I'm not loving a book or an author's voice as much as others are. When they're raving about how much they loved it, or how it affected them and I'm just not feeling it - that's really hard to swallow sometimes. I know we all love to 'feel' our books, and we love the journey they put us on....but sometimes that journey gets muddied for me by other mitigating factors. It's never generally my mood because I am not a mood reader, but I would be a liar if I said that didn't influence how I perceived a book every once in a while. Usually it's the style of writing, or the way the author inflects the tone with her words. So, for me, this one started out okay, but about one third of the way through, it picked up exponentially and I couldn't put it down after that. The most frustrating parts for me were when I would get repetitive passages. I didn't need a memory from one character and a then a full recount from another - about the same memory. So that made this book seem a whole lot longer than it should have in some spots, and for that I was really bummed. Thankfully, it was short lived because it seemed to stop and the story had a better flow once we got into the crux of the storyline.
I AM VERY ON BOARD NOW. I cannot wait for more books in this world, and I am looking forward to the next book that has been hinted at because, again - #FORBIDDEN.
"Our us involves all of the forbidden things."
~BEE
Amazon Affiliate linK: https://amzn.to/32GUzdY
Enter here to win an ecopy: http://bit.ly/2kJZlHq
September 1, 2019
Ok
500000000 stars!
Favourite book of 2019... maybe new all time favourite EVER!
Lesley Jones has this amazing ability of transporting me into the pages and lives of the characters she so vividly writes.
It would normally take a series of books to get the feel for a group but of people and side characters but, Lesley has done this in one PHENOMENAL story.
I am sooo in love with Max. I have a girl crush on Billie and a murderous rage for two other characters; boy does Mrs J know how to evoke the hate for some members of humanity !
The angst and love just burst from the pages. The plot is compelling and managed to get my devotion and attention from the first page. Oh Max *swoon.
You will be badgered and bullied into reading this book by me. It will be forever in my memory and another story to add to my reread list.
Buy it! Read it! Love it.
500000000 stars!
Favourite book of 2019... maybe new all time favourite EVER!
Lesley Jones has this amazing ability of transporting me into the pages and lives of the characters she so vividly writes.
It would normally take a series of books to get the feel for a group but of people and side characters but, Lesley has done this in one PHENOMENAL story.
I am sooo in love with Max. I have a girl crush on Billie and a murderous rage for two other characters; boy does Mrs J know how to evoke the hate for some members of humanity !
The angst and love just burst from the pages. The plot is compelling and managed to get my devotion and attention from the first page. Oh Max *swoon.
You will be badgered and bullied into reading this book by me. It will be forever in my memory and another story to add to my reread list.
Buy it! Read it! Love it.
September 9, 2019
"Our us involves all of the forbidden things, but if we can overcome even a few of them, our us might just end up being all of the most magnificent things."
Before I was a reader, I exposed myself to different authors. I want to experience different love stories. I wanted to expose myself to dynamic writing from more talented writes. That exposure led me to a beautiful story called arnage. Led me to a brilliant storyteller, Lesley Jones. I was assaulted with all the feels from amazing characters and a captivating storyline. Carnage made me a fan of Lesley Jones. Every book I have ever read from her truly has blessed my heart. My love for her books led me to a special story, All the Forbidden Things. Wow. All the feels!! All the warmth!! All the love!! All the Forbidden Things is a story within a story. A breathtaking treasure. A special gem. A rare and beautiful find. My heart cascaded. My soul moved. All the Forbidden Things is truly HEART EVERLASTING.
All the Forbidden Things is a heartwarming standalone book with addictive story full of touching moments and unforgettable characters. A tantalizing romance filled with so many deep feelings that captured me as a reader. Every page is rippling with love. Every page is crackling with passion and heat that burns deep in my soul. Every word brought me to my knees. Heart Pounding. Fiery. Soul Capturing. All the Forbidden Things is an incredible romance filled with angst and heart melting moments that attacked everything inside. A rockstar romance with a story blinded with emotion and tender love. An age gap romance that rocked my world. Utterly irresistible. With all the swoons and sexiness, All the Forbidden Things spoke a sweet song in my soul. A song that makes you feel its melody and notes. Lesley Jones makes you fall in irrevocably love with All the Forbidden Things with her soulful writing and her mesmerizing words.
As always with a Lesley Jones book, you are introduced to characters that become friends to you as you read. You feel all their feelings. You become close to them. I definitely became close to Max and Billie. I seriously adored them so much. Max and Billie electrified my heart with their magnificent chemistry, witty banter and beautiful love. Two broken souls, who create so much magic with each other, made me admire them so much. There is nothing more perfect than two people who are meant to be, fall in love. Max and Billie are the definition of perfection.
My heart is so happy. Stories like All the Forbidden Things, absolutely touch my heart. If you are new to Lesley Jones, I truly recommend you any of her books. She writes for the heart and you feel every single word.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Before I was a reader, I exposed myself to different authors. I want to experience different love stories. I wanted to expose myself to dynamic writing from more talented writes. That exposure led me to a beautiful story called arnage. Led me to a brilliant storyteller, Lesley Jones. I was assaulted with all the feels from amazing characters and a captivating storyline. Carnage made me a fan of Lesley Jones. Every book I have ever read from her truly has blessed my heart. My love for her books led me to a special story, All the Forbidden Things. Wow. All the feels!! All the warmth!! All the love!! All the Forbidden Things is a story within a story. A breathtaking treasure. A special gem. A rare and beautiful find. My heart cascaded. My soul moved. All the Forbidden Things is truly HEART EVERLASTING.
All the Forbidden Things is a heartwarming standalone book with addictive story full of touching moments and unforgettable characters. A tantalizing romance filled with so many deep feelings that captured me as a reader. Every page is rippling with love. Every page is crackling with passion and heat that burns deep in my soul. Every word brought me to my knees. Heart Pounding. Fiery. Soul Capturing. All the Forbidden Things is an incredible romance filled with angst and heart melting moments that attacked everything inside. A rockstar romance with a story blinded with emotion and tender love. An age gap romance that rocked my world. Utterly irresistible. With all the swoons and sexiness, All the Forbidden Things spoke a sweet song in my soul. A song that makes you feel its melody and notes. Lesley Jones makes you fall in irrevocably love with All the Forbidden Things with her soulful writing and her mesmerizing words.
As always with a Lesley Jones book, you are introduced to characters that become friends to you as you read. You feel all their feelings. You become close to them. I definitely became close to Max and Billie. I seriously adored them so much. Max and Billie electrified my heart with their magnificent chemistry, witty banter and beautiful love. Two broken souls, who create so much magic with each other, made me admire them so much. There is nothing more perfect than two people who are meant to be, fall in love. Max and Billie are the definition of perfection.
My heart is so happy. Stories like All the Forbidden Things, absolutely touch my heart. If you are new to Lesley Jones, I truly recommend you any of her books. She writes for the heart and you feel every single word.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2019
3.5 stars
I’m 50/50 on whether or not I liked this book. It has strong main characters, great secondary characters (all of whom have potential spin offs) and a good plot. Yet there were a lot of things that bugged me.
The first half of this book introduces us to our main characters, Max, a thirty-eight year old rock star and Billie. We start off by getting to know Max’s current situation and meet his absolute cow of a wife, Whitney. The poor guy is having a shit time, I’ll be honest. We then meet Billie, the twenty two year old sister of Max’s bandmate. She too is having a rough time and comes home from working abroad. Needless to say it’s pretty gloomy reading in the first half of this.
Now, despite being gloomy, the book’s written well and sparks fly when Billie and Max finally meet; Billie comes to work for him to help look after his 6 week old daughter.
So what didn’t I like? Well, for a start I have no issues with age gaps, but I really hate when authors go on and on about the heroine as a child. Throughout this Max and Billie share their stories of him looking after her growing up and her with braces as a child etc. etc. It just felt a little bit like he was shagging his little sister at times and I could have done without that visual if I’m honest.
But the thing that got me the most was their constant drinking and then subsequent passing out when looking after the baby, Laylah. Now I don’t think this was intentionally done by the author, as Max was a pretty decent guy, but on all three occasions when he actually had sole care of his daughter he drank himself into an oblivion. Billie too got through “two bottles of wine” before heading to bed with Max one evening and woke up to a very angry and soiled baby. It felt a little like they were no better than Whitney at times.
It also turned into a bit of a snooze fest towards the end with too much insta love going on. I just don’t buy into the whole knowing each other intimately for a week and then wanting babies.
But, despite all my annoyances with this, it was actually a well written book with a decent secondary plot. So whilst there were things that bugged me, it was still an enjoyable read.
Oh and that ending? Poor Cal!!
I’m 50/50 on whether or not I liked this book. It has strong main characters, great secondary characters (all of whom have potential spin offs) and a good plot. Yet there were a lot of things that bugged me.
The first half of this book introduces us to our main characters, Max, a thirty-eight year old rock star and Billie. We start off by getting to know Max’s current situation and meet his absolute cow of a wife, Whitney. The poor guy is having a shit time, I’ll be honest. We then meet Billie, the twenty two year old sister of Max’s bandmate. She too is having a rough time and comes home from working abroad. Needless to say it’s pretty gloomy reading in the first half of this.
Now, despite being gloomy, the book’s written well and sparks fly when Billie and Max finally meet; Billie comes to work for him to help look after his 6 week old daughter.
So what didn’t I like? Well, for a start I have no issues with age gaps, but I really hate when authors go on and on about the heroine as a child. Throughout this Max and Billie share their stories of him looking after her growing up and her with braces as a child etc. etc. It just felt a little bit like he was shagging his little sister at times and I could have done without that visual if I’m honest.
But the thing that got me the most was their constant drinking and then subsequent passing out when looking after the baby, Laylah. Now I don’t think this was intentionally done by the author, as Max was a pretty decent guy, but on all three occasions when he actually had sole care of his daughter he drank himself into an oblivion. Billie too got through “two bottles of wine” before heading to bed with Max one evening and woke up to a very angry and soiled baby. It felt a little like they were no better than Whitney at times.
It also turned into a bit of a snooze fest towards the end with too much insta love going on. I just don’t buy into the whole knowing each other intimately for a week and then wanting babies.
But, despite all my annoyances with this, it was actually a well written book with a decent secondary plot. So whilst there were things that bugged me, it was still an enjoyable read.
Oh and that ending? Poor Cal!!
December 22, 2019
I had high expectations for this story but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. Not enough angst and I skimmed most of the second half. I tried.
November 2, 2020
“I want to be loved, Mum. I don’t want it to be about the fame, the band, or the money. I just want someone to love me. And I’m scared…”
We’ve been in the mood for a rock star romance and especially one by Lesley Jones. After all, we’ve heard how her rock star books are full of angst and that full-on band experience we love so much, plus, All the Forbidden Things also promised to deliver a few other elements we especially love; an age gap romance, single Dad, a lead singer in a band, and a forbidden romance to round it off.
‘He’s a married man. He’s my boss. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s all the forbidden things.’
Max Young’s world had just hit the skids. His wife informs him she’s been having an affair through most of their marriage and to top off the bombshell she dropped, she informs him his newborn daughter, Laylah, the apple of his eye, might not be his biological daughter. For this reformed bad boy of rock, his world is shaken to the core and he experiences a betrayal he didn’t see coming.
Max has lived the sex, drugs, rock’n’roll part being in the famous band, Young Wild and Rong, and at thirty eight, he’d looked forward to settling down with his wife Whitney and their daughter, instead he’s about to enter the biggest fight of his life, making sure he has custody of his daughter.
As the little sister of Max’s bandmate and best friend, Cal, twenty two year old Billie Wild had lived the jet set lifestyle, touring with the band, eventually settling in California where she took on a job as a nanny to a volatile couple that explodes one night, forcing Billie to return to England. This young lady had endured so much in her life and needed to have her family around her for support.
Billie had harboured a crush on the sexy bad boy since she was a little girl, even planning out every detail of their wedding and it’s a crush that never abated, in fact, seeing Max again evokes a whole different sort of emotions! To say the chemistry between them is explosive is an understatement!
‘My heart, oh my heart…a very small piece of it bursts out of my chest and lands in his hands.
This man. He’s been so very badly broken, and yet, still he has so much to give.’
Max was a man who certainly wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions nor his vulnerability, and Billie was certainly a young lady who exuded strength and courage.
This story was certainly hot, which most will love, but for us we felt as though the sex overshadowed the emotion of the story at times. The forbidden aspect of the story, whilst there, didn’t always deliver those knots in the stomach type feelings we love in a forbidden tryst.
‘She’s twenty-fucking-two. I’m a thirty-eight-year old, soon-to be-divorced, single dad. I’m a joke.’
As for the Rockstar theme, we were desperate for? Well, this book focused heavily on the relationship, the issues surrounding Max and his daughter, meaning the rock star element we so craved was pretty non-existent which did hamper our enjoyment of the story, being we pick books according to mood and we really did want to live those heady rock star moments.
“I can’t ignore it. I don’t want to, and I need you to know how I feel.”
“And how is that? How do you feel?”
“How I feel is almost an album’s worth of songs written in less than a week…”
That being said, we did enjoy this book and loved getting to know the band and all its character. For our part, it probably wasn’t the best first choice for us to explore the rock star world we know Lesley Jones is renowned for delivering. The epilogue was fabulous!
Come and say hi, at:
✲ TotallyBookedBlog
✲ TBB on Facebook
✲ TBB on Instagram
✲ TBB on Twitter
✲ TBB on Pinterest
We’ve been in the mood for a rock star romance and especially one by Lesley Jones. After all, we’ve heard how her rock star books are full of angst and that full-on band experience we love so much, plus, All the Forbidden Things also promised to deliver a few other elements we especially love; an age gap romance, single Dad, a lead singer in a band, and a forbidden romance to round it off.
‘He’s a married man. He’s my boss. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s all the forbidden things.’
Max Young’s world had just hit the skids. His wife informs him she’s been having an affair through most of their marriage and to top off the bombshell she dropped, she informs him his newborn daughter, Laylah, the apple of his eye, might not be his biological daughter. For this reformed bad boy of rock, his world is shaken to the core and he experiences a betrayal he didn’t see coming.
Max has lived the sex, drugs, rock’n’roll part being in the famous band, Young Wild and Rong, and at thirty eight, he’d looked forward to settling down with his wife Whitney and their daughter, instead he’s about to enter the biggest fight of his life, making sure he has custody of his daughter.
As the little sister of Max’s bandmate and best friend, Cal, twenty two year old Billie Wild had lived the jet set lifestyle, touring with the band, eventually settling in California where she took on a job as a nanny to a volatile couple that explodes one night, forcing Billie to return to England. This young lady had endured so much in her life and needed to have her family around her for support.
Billie had harboured a crush on the sexy bad boy since she was a little girl, even planning out every detail of their wedding and it’s a crush that never abated, in fact, seeing Max again evokes a whole different sort of emotions! To say the chemistry between them is explosive is an understatement!
‘My heart, oh my heart…a very small piece of it bursts out of my chest and lands in his hands.
This man. He’s been so very badly broken, and yet, still he has so much to give.’
Max was a man who certainly wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions nor his vulnerability, and Billie was certainly a young lady who exuded strength and courage.
This story was certainly hot, which most will love, but for us we felt as though the sex overshadowed the emotion of the story at times. The forbidden aspect of the story, whilst there, didn’t always deliver those knots in the stomach type feelings we love in a forbidden tryst.
‘She’s twenty-fucking-two. I’m a thirty-eight-year old, soon-to be-divorced, single dad. I’m a joke.’
As for the Rockstar theme, we were desperate for? Well, this book focused heavily on the relationship, the issues surrounding Max and his daughter, meaning the rock star element we so craved was pretty non-existent which did hamper our enjoyment of the story, being we pick books according to mood and we really did want to live those heady rock star moments.
“I can’t ignore it. I don’t want to, and I need you to know how I feel.”
“And how is that? How do you feel?”
“How I feel is almost an album’s worth of songs written in less than a week…”
That being said, we did enjoy this book and loved getting to know the band and all its character. For our part, it probably wasn’t the best first choice for us to explore the rock star world we know Lesley Jones is renowned for delivering. The epilogue was fabulous!
Come and say hi, at:
✲ TotallyBookedBlog
✲ TBB on Facebook
✲ TBB on Instagram
✲ TBB on Twitter
✲ TBB on Pinterest
September 16, 2019
I always tell my students that when they come up with a title for their papers that they need to think about their audience as well as the content of the piece and then create one that not only represents what readers will be heading into but also name it something that will lure them in from the start.
I can wholeheartedly say that Lesley Jones definitely knew who her audience was and created a title that would make readers want to quickly see and understand what all of those forbidden things were! And believe me, they were aplenty.
I loved how Jones crafted Max and Billie’s characters. Max is an edgy rocker, but he’s also a caring man and loving father and that’s what is clearly conveyed in the pages of this story. And, it’s not that he doesn’t have a sorted past or indulged in the things that rock stars are known to - drugs, drinking, women - but he’s more of a seasoned veteran at this stage in his life, so he has his priorities where they need to be and although his burgeoning feelings for Billie complicates his already dramatic life, sending things spiraling even further, she becomes essential to his and his daughter’s lives.
What I admired about both Max and Billie is their fortitude and the way they see things, even when they’re crumbling. Neither of them would give up; of course, they feel every single emotion involved when it comes to what they’re coping and dealing with, but they understand what matters and go about containing the chaos in ways that won’t affect the sweet little girl who has come to mean almost as much to Billie as she does to her father.
Because I’ve read several of Jones’ stories in the past, I thought I was mentally prepared for the amount of angst that would be included as the hero and heroine try to get on the same page and deal with outside circumstances, but the complications that occur in Max and Billie’s story are even more dramatic due to the fact that there’s a 16 year age difference between them and Max’s wife is an untrustworthy witch who seems to only be alive to make Max’s life as miserable as possible. There are also a litany of factors involved in sabotaging anything that Max and Billie could build: his fame is a factor…the paparazzi and tabloids are a factor…his WIFE is more than a factor because she’s her own brand of drama llama…and all of these factors pose a huge threat to not only a relationship between Max and Billie but also Max’s image in the public eye.
Jones never allows her characters to have an easy go of things; in fact, at times, I feel like she torments and tortures them in as many ways as she can, not necessarily for sport, but to show them just how strong they truly are and to offer true examples of perseverance in the face of adversity. And let me tell you, Max and Billie will have to fight with everything that they are for their loved ones, for each other, and for themselves.
All Things Forbidden is one heck of a bumpy and dramatic ride, but it’s also one that has a great cast of characters with a bevy of poignant, sweet, and steamy scenes and readers will absolutely be smitten with Max - the dad, just as much as they will with Max - the rock star.
4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)
I can wholeheartedly say that Lesley Jones definitely knew who her audience was and created a title that would make readers want to quickly see and understand what all of those forbidden things were! And believe me, they were aplenty.
I loved how Jones crafted Max and Billie’s characters. Max is an edgy rocker, but he’s also a caring man and loving father and that’s what is clearly conveyed in the pages of this story. And, it’s not that he doesn’t have a sorted past or indulged in the things that rock stars are known to - drugs, drinking, women - but he’s more of a seasoned veteran at this stage in his life, so he has his priorities where they need to be and although his burgeoning feelings for Billie complicates his already dramatic life, sending things spiraling even further, she becomes essential to his and his daughter’s lives.
What I admired about both Max and Billie is their fortitude and the way they see things, even when they’re crumbling. Neither of them would give up; of course, they feel every single emotion involved when it comes to what they’re coping and dealing with, but they understand what matters and go about containing the chaos in ways that won’t affect the sweet little girl who has come to mean almost as much to Billie as she does to her father.
Because I’ve read several of Jones’ stories in the past, I thought I was mentally prepared for the amount of angst that would be included as the hero and heroine try to get on the same page and deal with outside circumstances, but the complications that occur in Max and Billie’s story are even more dramatic due to the fact that there’s a 16 year age difference between them and Max’s wife is an untrustworthy witch who seems to only be alive to make Max’s life as miserable as possible. There are also a litany of factors involved in sabotaging anything that Max and Billie could build: his fame is a factor…the paparazzi and tabloids are a factor…his WIFE is more than a factor because she’s her own brand of drama llama…and all of these factors pose a huge threat to not only a relationship between Max and Billie but also Max’s image in the public eye.
Jones never allows her characters to have an easy go of things; in fact, at times, I feel like she torments and tortures them in as many ways as she can, not necessarily for sport, but to show them just how strong they truly are and to offer true examples of perseverance in the face of adversity. And let me tell you, Max and Billie will have to fight with everything that they are for their loved ones, for each other, and for themselves.
All Things Forbidden is one heck of a bumpy and dramatic ride, but it’s also one that has a great cast of characters with a bevy of poignant, sweet, and steamy scenes and readers will absolutely be smitten with Max - the dad, just as much as they will with Max - the rock star.
4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)
February 19, 2020
Max Young ... a man who will steal your heart
If ever there was a book written by Lesley Jones that MUST BE READ this is the one. ALL THE FORBIDDEN THINGS captured my heart from the very first page. It is obvious from the beginning that Lesley has poured her heart into Max Young’s story, just the emotions experienced whilst reading it are proof positive of this. I became so invested in Max’s story that I could not put it down, I needed to know whether or not this magnificent man found his happy ever after.
From the minute Max Young uttered the words "Hey, hey, baby girl. What's all this noise about?" he won my heart. Max is a thirty-eight year old rock star whose world has been turned upside down and now he must make everything better for himself and his baby girl, Layla. Max's dedication, devotion and love of Layla had my heart melting. I mean I was standing in a puddle of my own melting heart. He's also a man alone, a man who needs the love of a good woman. Can he really fall for his best mate's little sister?
Billie Wild was an absolute breath of fresh air. She suffered an horrific tragedy at a young age and then another traumatic experience prior to moving back to England. The latter incident would be enough to make any woman run and hide, but not Billie. She's strong, resilient, sassy and totally in love with a man sixteen years older, and he's also her father's band mate and best friend. She's no longer that little red haired girl she once was ... she's now ALL woman ... and one who has her sights set on one man.
Once again Lesley has absolutely excelled with her story. She has given her readers another swoonworthy man, one who's sweet, loving and just a little broken. He's a man who will always put others before himself, especially his daughter Layla. Pair Max with Billie and OMG the pages just sizzle, this couple is simply HAWT!!!!
As with all Lesley Jones stories, especially those that pull at your heartstrings, there must be a character that deserves to be hated. That priviledge belongs to Whitney. I mean this woman gives "Whorely" from Carnage a run for her money ... she was really vile. But what goes around comes around ... Karma can be a real B---h!!
All The Forbidden Things really gave my emotions a workout. I think I experienced every one I could name; happiness, sadness, anger, hatred, frustration, friendship and love. This is what makes Lesley's writing special, she enables her readers to experience every emotion that her characters feel. If you loved the Carnage Series you will definitely love this book. Plenty of love, family and friends (and a couple of familiar faces) make this a story that will capture your heart.
Absolutely a recommended read.
Red and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction
FIVE PHENOMENAL STARS
If ever there was a book written by Lesley Jones that MUST BE READ this is the one. ALL THE FORBIDDEN THINGS captured my heart from the very first page. It is obvious from the beginning that Lesley has poured her heart into Max Young’s story, just the emotions experienced whilst reading it are proof positive of this. I became so invested in Max’s story that I could not put it down, I needed to know whether or not this magnificent man found his happy ever after.
From the minute Max Young uttered the words "Hey, hey, baby girl. What's all this noise about?" he won my heart. Max is a thirty-eight year old rock star whose world has been turned upside down and now he must make everything better for himself and his baby girl, Layla. Max's dedication, devotion and love of Layla had my heart melting. I mean I was standing in a puddle of my own melting heart. He's also a man alone, a man who needs the love of a good woman. Can he really fall for his best mate's little sister?
Billie Wild was an absolute breath of fresh air. She suffered an horrific tragedy at a young age and then another traumatic experience prior to moving back to England. The latter incident would be enough to make any woman run and hide, but not Billie. She's strong, resilient, sassy and totally in love with a man sixteen years older, and he's also her father's band mate and best friend. She's no longer that little red haired girl she once was ... she's now ALL woman ... and one who has her sights set on one man.
Once again Lesley has absolutely excelled with her story. She has given her readers another swoonworthy man, one who's sweet, loving and just a little broken. He's a man who will always put others before himself, especially his daughter Layla. Pair Max with Billie and OMG the pages just sizzle, this couple is simply HAWT!!!!
As with all Lesley Jones stories, especially those that pull at your heartstrings, there must be a character that deserves to be hated. That priviledge belongs to Whitney. I mean this woman gives "Whorely" from Carnage a run for her money ... she was really vile. But what goes around comes around ... Karma can be a real B---h!!
All The Forbidden Things really gave my emotions a workout. I think I experienced every one I could name; happiness, sadness, anger, hatred, frustration, friendship and love. This is what makes Lesley's writing special, she enables her readers to experience every emotion that her characters feel. If you loved the Carnage Series you will definitely love this book. Plenty of love, family and friends (and a couple of familiar faces) make this a story that will capture your heart.
Absolutely a recommended read.
Red and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction
FIVE PHENOMENAL STARS
March 15, 2020
4.5 Stars
Rock Star Romance (British)
Age-Gap (38/22)
Single Daddy / Nanny Romance
Forbidden Love
"He’s a married man.
He’s my boss.
He’s my brother’s best friend.
He’s all the forbidden things."
I loved the story for the most part. I shed some tears for the MCs. Both the heroine and hero experienced some awful things in their lives. After years of not seeing each other, Billie Wild walked into Max Young's life like a ray of sunshine and hope. I loved the scenes with them getting reacquainted. The spark between them was real (sigh). Another significant character in the story was Max's infant daughter, Layla. She was practically in every scene of the book. Max and Layla were attached at the hip. He was a new dad parenting his daughter alone; however, he was never without the love and support of his bandmates and family. They stepped in the moment Max's life unraveled around him. I really enjoyed these secondary characters, especially Kenzie (Billie's 17 yr old niece). I loved her personality and banter; I can't wait for her book. Overall, this was a great mix of sweet and intense.
What stood out to me first about this book was that the heroine didn't appear on the pages until 18%. The first seven chapters lay out the hero's situation. It didn't bother me, though. I immediately connected to Max and was pulled into his messy life. Poor guy!
I consider this a slow-burn romance because any intimacies between the MCs don't occur until after the 70% mark. Still, their romantic relationship developed very quickly; within a week, I think. I'd call that a whirlwind romance.
SETTING: London
POINT OF VIEW: Multiple
HEA: Yes
CHEATING: NO. The MCs do not cheat on each other. Max's wife is the cheater. They were separated and in the middle of a difficult divorce process when he gets together with Billie.
EPILOGUE: Max & Billie six years later :) Very sweet <3
STEAM: Explicit and steamy. Max was a dirty talker ;)
ANGST: Moderate
Music playlist included! I loved how the songs were incorporated in the story. I always play music while reading.
Rock Star Romance (British)
Age-Gap (38/22)
Single Daddy / Nanny Romance
Forbidden Love
"He’s a married man.
He’s my boss.
He’s my brother’s best friend.
He’s all the forbidden things."
I loved the story for the most part. I shed some tears for the MCs. Both the heroine and hero experienced some awful things in their lives. After years of not seeing each other, Billie Wild walked into Max Young's life like a ray of sunshine and hope. I loved the scenes with them getting reacquainted. The spark between them was real (sigh). Another significant character in the story was Max's infant daughter, Layla. She was practically in every scene of the book. Max and Layla were attached at the hip. He was a new dad parenting his daughter alone; however, he was never without the love and support of his bandmates and family. They stepped in the moment Max's life unraveled around him. I really enjoyed these secondary characters, especially Kenzie (Billie's 17 yr old niece). I loved her personality and banter; I can't wait for her book. Overall, this was a great mix of sweet and intense.
What stood out to me first about this book was that the heroine didn't appear on the pages until 18%. The first seven chapters lay out the hero's situation. It didn't bother me, though. I immediately connected to Max and was pulled into his messy life. Poor guy!
I consider this a slow-burn romance because any intimacies between the MCs don't occur until after the 70% mark. Still, their romantic relationship developed very quickly; within a week, I think. I'd call that a whirlwind romance.
SETTING: London
POINT OF VIEW: Multiple
HEA: Yes
CHEATING: NO. The MCs do not cheat on each other. Max's wife is the cheater. They were separated and in the middle of a difficult divorce process when he gets together with Billie.
EPILOGUE: Max & Billie six years later :) Very sweet <3
STEAM: Explicit and steamy. Max was a dirty talker ;)
ANGST: Moderate
Music playlist included! I loved how the songs were incorporated in the story. I always play music while reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2019
All The Forbidden Things
5 stars
I really didn't know what to expect from this book considering the author hasn't published anything for 2 years and with previous books being what they are, this story has so much to live up to. So much to beat and my god did it do all those things. I was blown away again by this authors ability to bring the story with a punch that stays with you.
I found myself pulled into Max Young's world from the first words I read. Again this is a rockstar book and will no doubt be compared to Carnage and all that followed. But compare away. It holds it's own and for me, it trumps Carnage on so many levels.
This book was so much more than a rock stars story, it's a story about the man not the star. What he has been given to deal with due to the choices he’s made, due to his profession. Those choices that lead to mistakes that impacted on levels you have no idea about.
On the flip of this story you have Billie Wild, she is the baby sister of Max Young's band mate and best friend. Billie has had a rough ride with all that she has had to endure in her short life and the beginning starts with an incident that is horrific and for me somewhat life changing, but it sets wheels in motion for a love story like no other.
My heart broke in numerous places in this book and I can't mention any of them. It's not me, I can't ruin a story that needs to be read and experienced by the reader first hand. The battles that are faced and situations that arise boiled my blood and I felt every word that Lesley Jones tried and succeeded in conveying in this story.
From an apprehensive start to this book it has become my joint read of the year to date. I can not recommend this book more and I really feel you will be missing out on a great, honest, and a totally beautiful love story. This is an epic read.
5 stars
I really didn't know what to expect from this book considering the author hasn't published anything for 2 years and with previous books being what they are, this story has so much to live up to. So much to beat and my god did it do all those things. I was blown away again by this authors ability to bring the story with a punch that stays with you.
I found myself pulled into Max Young's world from the first words I read. Again this is a rockstar book and will no doubt be compared to Carnage and all that followed. But compare away. It holds it's own and for me, it trumps Carnage on so many levels.
This book was so much more than a rock stars story, it's a story about the man not the star. What he has been given to deal with due to the choices he’s made, due to his profession. Those choices that lead to mistakes that impacted on levels you have no idea about.
On the flip of this story you have Billie Wild, she is the baby sister of Max Young's band mate and best friend. Billie has had a rough ride with all that she has had to endure in her short life and the beginning starts with an incident that is horrific and for me somewhat life changing, but it sets wheels in motion for a love story like no other.
My heart broke in numerous places in this book and I can't mention any of them. It's not me, I can't ruin a story that needs to be read and experienced by the reader first hand. The battles that are faced and situations that arise boiled my blood and I felt every word that Lesley Jones tried and succeeded in conveying in this story.
From an apprehensive start to this book it has become my joint read of the year to date. I can not recommend this book more and I really feel you will be missing out on a great, honest, and a totally beautiful love story. This is an epic read.
September 19, 2020
What a fantastic read! I loved this story from Lesley Jones, it has all her usual grit, drama, fun and romance, not to mention a good helping of lust. This story really had me glued to the pages waiting to see what transpired next!
This is a rock and roll story with a difference; a classic Lesley Jones. However, Max's story is all about the man and not the rock star. He has done the drugs, the sex and bad boy image, now he is a Dad and his daughter is his life! Max is a thirty-eight year old Dad, husband and rock star, whose life is imploding. I adored Max, he is so sweet and loving. Despite everything going on in his life, he is there for everyone and his better side always wins out. I was rooting for him the whole way through. The way he is with his daughter just melted my heart.
I loved Billie, Max's best friend and bandmates little sister. Hell does she go through a lot. I love her attitude to life, her vim, vigour and her ballsiness. She like all the characters is so well written, even the characters you hate leap off the page in Lesley Jones's signature style.
It's been a while since Lesley Jones released a book but boy was it worth the wait. It is a great read and is full of emotion. This one is great! It hits all the right targets and will have you totally engrossed.
I highly recommend this wonderful story and suggest you one-click it immediately.
This is a rock and roll story with a difference; a classic Lesley Jones. However, Max's story is all about the man and not the rock star. He has done the drugs, the sex and bad boy image, now he is a Dad and his daughter is his life! Max is a thirty-eight year old Dad, husband and rock star, whose life is imploding. I adored Max, he is so sweet and loving. Despite everything going on in his life, he is there for everyone and his better side always wins out. I was rooting for him the whole way through. The way he is with his daughter just melted my heart.
I loved Billie, Max's best friend and bandmates little sister. Hell does she go through a lot. I love her attitude to life, her vim, vigour and her ballsiness. She like all the characters is so well written, even the characters you hate leap off the page in Lesley Jones's signature style.
It's been a while since Lesley Jones released a book but boy was it worth the wait. It is a great read and is full of emotion. This one is great! It hits all the right targets and will have you totally engrossed.
I highly recommend this wonderful story and suggest you one-click it immediately.
September 7, 2019
“Before Andy Garcia, before Marley Layton or Doctor Kovač, there was you. You were my first crush, it’s always been you, Max Young—”
When Lesley said she was writing a new book and he was in a band I was thinking "I know what happened last time I read a book of yours with a band in and the first book made me ugly cry" lol. But then she said it's an age gap book and I was sold. Haha I can't help it I love them.
I fell in love with Max on the very first page and I loved Billie too. Max goes through something at the beginning of the book and I just wanted to hug him so bad. Then Billie endures something and I wanted to give her a hug too.
When you read this you'll want to cut a bitch with a certain character... she was so bloody evil. If I could've reached into my kindle I would've choked her haha. She was such a damn bitch!!!
The book was so damn amazing from start to finish. I was laughing out loud, swooning and giggling all the damn time. There's a few hand on your heart moments too. I shed a few sad and happy tears too. But thats me with every book I read lol.
Well done Lesley Max & Billie's story was fantastic xx
September 16, 2019
The second this book hit my kindle I knew I wouldn’t sleep even for a second till I read every single word! I didn’t realize how much I needed Lesley Jones words till I starting reading because once I started I was consumed! I love Jones’ ability to create these beautifully broken characters who; honestly, never leave you!
Max and Billie definitely have a tribe behind them and even at their lowest moments they are not alone! As they navigate their lives and try to put the pieces together they have each other as well as their “family” and I say family because even if they aren’t all blood their bond is beyond just friends!
Navigating love in any capacity is never easy! Max and Billie have their work cut out for them even before they find one another again but as time goes on both realize they only want each other. They just have to figure out how to navigate the mucky waters of her brother and his wife not to mention the fact that no matter what Max is in the public’s eye and nothing is ever a secret for long! So while love is never easy is it always worth it?
Max and Billie definitely have a tribe behind them and even at their lowest moments they are not alone! As they navigate their lives and try to put the pieces together they have each other as well as their “family” and I say family because even if they aren’t all blood their bond is beyond just friends!
Navigating love in any capacity is never easy! Max and Billie have their work cut out for them even before they find one another again but as time goes on both realize they only want each other. They just have to figure out how to navigate the mucky waters of her brother and his wife not to mention the fact that no matter what Max is in the public’s eye and nothing is ever a secret for long! So while love is never easy is it always worth it?
September 9, 2019
KFForever
Reviewed by Donna on behalf of KindleFriendsForever
Max Young, the hot rock star seems to have it all. Married to a model, newborn baby and at the height of his career, he's hugely in the public eye and the paparazzi love to know everything going on in his life. Max is your typical rockstar until he settles down to be a husband and father; however, what he thought was his life turns out to be nothing but lies. Just when his life couldn't get any more complicated, Billie Wild walks back in. She's his bandmate and best friend's little sister. Totally off limits but such temptation.
“I thought you were going to kiss me back?”
“I did, with my heart. Didn't you feel it touching yours?”
Billie Wild is a nanny by trade and happens to be in need of work. That poor girl has been through some heartache but when a situation has her running home to her family, she finds herself in the company of Max Young for the first time in years. He isn't hers to have but it doesn't stop her wanting him. She thought the years would have made her childhood crush fade but as soon as she sees him, the feelings come flooding back.
“Something needs to be done! I don't know what, but I will never, ever, have that girl put in that position because of that bitch again.”
I was sucked into the story from the very first page right to the end. The storytelling flowed fluently and the word-manship had me spellbound. It's as if I was there viewing it in person rather than reading about it. The characters intrigued me and of course in true Lesley style, there is a villain within this and I just wanted to throttle the baddie. It was shocking the lengths they would go to hurt Max, even Billie or anyone else that got in their way.
I loved the way the tracks from the playlist were intricately placed within the story and listening and reading at the same time gave me a sense of what the setting was. There's so much chemistry and the perfect amount of steaminess is by no means overdone. I was so happy to see a couple of well-known characters from previous books make cameo appearances; one of them, in particular, had me smiling with his humour.
Ms Jones hasn't published a book for two years and this made me even more excited to see what we were going to get in her new standalone. I was blown away with the story and long after turning the last page, I couldn't stop thinking about it. A forbidden age-gap romance, in some of the chapters the protagonists gave me a feeling of hopelessness. I'm not letting on how it pans out because you simply have to read this story for yourselves. But I do suggest going in blind as your enjoyment will be enhanced if that were ever possible. To sum up; every emotion from being smitten, angry and laughing was provoked in this epic rollercoaster which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The forbidden is definitely one of my favourite tropes, possibly because it always contains a lot of angst. I can't stop listening to the amazing playlist and now have one almighty book hangover. Certainly worthy of re-reading, thank you for such an epic story!
Reviewed by Donna on behalf of KindleFriendsForever
Max Young, the hot rock star seems to have it all. Married to a model, newborn baby and at the height of his career, he's hugely in the public eye and the paparazzi love to know everything going on in his life. Max is your typical rockstar until he settles down to be a husband and father; however, what he thought was his life turns out to be nothing but lies. Just when his life couldn't get any more complicated, Billie Wild walks back in. She's his bandmate and best friend's little sister. Totally off limits but such temptation.
“I thought you were going to kiss me back?”
“I did, with my heart. Didn't you feel it touching yours?”
Billie Wild is a nanny by trade and happens to be in need of work. That poor girl has been through some heartache but when a situation has her running home to her family, she finds herself in the company of Max Young for the first time in years. He isn't hers to have but it doesn't stop her wanting him. She thought the years would have made her childhood crush fade but as soon as she sees him, the feelings come flooding back.
“Something needs to be done! I don't know what, but I will never, ever, have that girl put in that position because of that bitch again.”
I was sucked into the story from the very first page right to the end. The storytelling flowed fluently and the word-manship had me spellbound. It's as if I was there viewing it in person rather than reading about it. The characters intrigued me and of course in true Lesley style, there is a villain within this and I just wanted to throttle the baddie. It was shocking the lengths they would go to hurt Max, even Billie or anyone else that got in their way.
I loved the way the tracks from the playlist were intricately placed within the story and listening and reading at the same time gave me a sense of what the setting was. There's so much chemistry and the perfect amount of steaminess is by no means overdone. I was so happy to see a couple of well-known characters from previous books make cameo appearances; one of them, in particular, had me smiling with his humour.
Ms Jones hasn't published a book for two years and this made me even more excited to see what we were going to get in her new standalone. I was blown away with the story and long after turning the last page, I couldn't stop thinking about it. A forbidden age-gap romance, in some of the chapters the protagonists gave me a feeling of hopelessness. I'm not letting on how it pans out because you simply have to read this story for yourselves. But I do suggest going in blind as your enjoyment will be enhanced if that were ever possible. To sum up; every emotion from being smitten, angry and laughing was provoked in this epic rollercoaster which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The forbidden is definitely one of my favourite tropes, possibly because it always contains a lot of angst. I can't stop listening to the amazing playlist and now have one almighty book hangover. Certainly worthy of re-reading, thank you for such an epic story!
September 12, 2019
***4.5 ‘Bamm & Wilma’ Stars***
I knew things would be intense, but I didn’t expect things to go into craycray mode right off the bat. It had me going “Whoa...ok. She ain’t playing” and I’ll admit I didn’t know if I’d be able to deal with all that uber angsty-ness...but then things started to even out and I got quite comfortable in the rabbit hole I’d been pushed down and absolutely ate up the crazy, sweet, swoonworthy and smexy journey that Max, Billie and Layla were on.
I adored Billie and Max. Billie is sweet, sassy, compassionate and has a light inside of her that makes it hard not to take notice of her. She’s been through a lot in her young life, and though the ghosts still haunt her, she doesn’t allow them to keep her down. Instead she rises above them and lives her best life. Max, I hurt for the guy. I mean the saying “When it rains, it pours” is soo apt here, it’s insane. He’s a good guy trying to be the man his daughter needs him to be, but he is just a man that just had the rug pulled out from under him, so he’s a bit emotional. But I loved his honesty and how, with the help of his friends and family, he did get through it and became so much more.
As for their journey to their HEA. This baby is chock full of reasons why these two shouldn’t be together, so let’s list them: 1) age gap 2) the nanny issue 3) the whole brother’s bestie thing 4) the marriage issue. With all of those, it would seem like Max and Billie shouldn’t be together ~ or even attracted to each other ~ but if there were ever two people who SHOULD be together it’s these two. They flowed so well together. The chemistry between them was intense in every way and they brought out the best in each other and I loved every moment of watching them become each others.
This is my first read by the author and I loved it. There were a couple of places where it did drag for me, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The characters were all well written, even the ones I wanted to gut with a spoon, and though it’s hard to pick a favorite amongst the ones I liked I adored Wendy and will definitely be looking out for what’s in store for Kenzie and Jake. There are some triggers, but they all added depth to the story and the characters growth, and were handled well.
~ Copy provided by Wildfire Marketing Solutions & voluntarily reviewed ~
I knew things would be intense, but I didn’t expect things to go into craycray mode right off the bat. It had me going “Whoa...ok. She ain’t playing” and I’ll admit I didn’t know if I’d be able to deal with all that uber angsty-ness...but then things started to even out and I got quite comfortable in the rabbit hole I’d been pushed down and absolutely ate up the crazy, sweet, swoonworthy and smexy journey that Max, Billie and Layla were on.
I adored Billie and Max. Billie is sweet, sassy, compassionate and has a light inside of her that makes it hard not to take notice of her. She’s been through a lot in her young life, and though the ghosts still haunt her, she doesn’t allow them to keep her down. Instead she rises above them and lives her best life. Max, I hurt for the guy. I mean the saying “When it rains, it pours” is soo apt here, it’s insane. He’s a good guy trying to be the man his daughter needs him to be, but he is just a man that just had the rug pulled out from under him, so he’s a bit emotional. But I loved his honesty and how, with the help of his friends and family, he did get through it and became so much more.
As for their journey to their HEA. This baby is chock full of reasons why these two shouldn’t be together, so let’s list them: 1) age gap 2) the nanny issue 3) the whole brother’s bestie thing 4) the marriage issue. With all of those, it would seem like Max and Billie shouldn’t be together ~ or even attracted to each other ~ but if there were ever two people who SHOULD be together it’s these two. They flowed so well together. The chemistry between them was intense in every way and they brought out the best in each other and I loved every moment of watching them become each others.
This is my first read by the author and I loved it. There were a couple of places where it did drag for me, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The characters were all well written, even the ones I wanted to gut with a spoon, and though it’s hard to pick a favorite amongst the ones I liked I adored Wendy and will definitely be looking out for what’s in store for Kenzie and Jake. There are some triggers, but they all added depth to the story and the characters growth, and were handled well.
~ Copy provided by Wildfire Marketing Solutions & voluntarily reviewed ~
September 15, 2019
This is the first book of Lesley Jones that I read and I was expecting brilliance. Instead, I found mediocrity. I really wanted to like this book but there are several problems with it.
This book was marketed as a stand-alone but the reader should have been warned that the other books must be read first. It was like you were expected to know who the characters were immediately. When Mac first comes out, he wasn’t described. How old is he? Is he dark? Tall? Lanky? Tattooed? Same when Whit, Cal, Mel shows up. They were never described. Again the same thing when Lennon shows up. Who is he? Is he the publicist, head of PR, an admin? Why did he need to know what to tell the press? Lennon mentions a Mick clearing the way. Who is Mick? Is he a bodyguard, the head of security, a friend in the police force? There’s absolutely no explanation.
The author also used a lot of brand names. Saying Ovaltine instead of just chocolate flavored milk. Saying The Body Shop perfume instead of saying musk scented perfume. Saying Nivea face cream instead of just plain face cream. It’s unnecessary brand dropping and it dates the book. Also, there’s no point of reference for readers living in countries where these brands are not available.
While I realize the setting is in London, the glossary of terms is inadequate. What is a Royal Free? Is it a highway? What is Stanmore? Is it a hospital or a different medical department? I have read books by British authors that are able to show readers the setting and make readers feel like Londoners and not have to google every other word.
Another issue is the lack of characterization. The characters absolutely have no personalities. They are interchangeable. They are so one dimensional as a cardboard.
The plot (or maybe the arrangement) is not well thought out. We don’t see any interaction between the two main character is the first 30% of the book. The books is marked as women’s fiction Amazon which is a mistake. It should have been told in Billie’s POV instead and should have started when she is already working for Max. The first 30% is unnecessary and could have been told in a flashback.
Overall, I DNF. The best part of the book for me is the blurb/synopsis. It made me buy a book that didn’t live up to the promise.
This book was marketed as a stand-alone but the reader should have been warned that the other books must be read first. It was like you were expected to know who the characters were immediately. When Mac first comes out, he wasn’t described. How old is he? Is he dark? Tall? Lanky? Tattooed? Same when Whit, Cal, Mel shows up. They were never described. Again the same thing when Lennon shows up. Who is he? Is he the publicist, head of PR, an admin? Why did he need to know what to tell the press? Lennon mentions a Mick clearing the way. Who is Mick? Is he a bodyguard, the head of security, a friend in the police force? There’s absolutely no explanation.
The author also used a lot of brand names. Saying Ovaltine instead of just chocolate flavored milk. Saying The Body Shop perfume instead of saying musk scented perfume. Saying Nivea face cream instead of just plain face cream. It’s unnecessary brand dropping and it dates the book. Also, there’s no point of reference for readers living in countries where these brands are not available.
While I realize the setting is in London, the glossary of terms is inadequate. What is a Royal Free? Is it a highway? What is Stanmore? Is it a hospital or a different medical department? I have read books by British authors that are able to show readers the setting and make readers feel like Londoners and not have to google every other word.
Another issue is the lack of characterization. The characters absolutely have no personalities. They are interchangeable. They are so one dimensional as a cardboard.
The plot (or maybe the arrangement) is not well thought out. We don’t see any interaction between the two main character is the first 30% of the book. The books is marked as women’s fiction Amazon which is a mistake. It should have been told in Billie’s POV instead and should have started when she is already working for Max. The first 30% is unnecessary and could have been told in a flashback.
Overall, I DNF. The best part of the book for me is the blurb/synopsis. It made me buy a book that didn’t live up to the promise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2019
Oh my goodness!! Lesley Jones has done it again! This woman creates the best and worst characters and makes me feel all the freaking things about them. I devoured this book and just could not put it down.
From page one, I was hooked and had a mad crush on Max Young. The way he cared for his baby girl had me swooning and my heart broke for this man with everything his wife put him through. He’s strong yet vulnerable. And now enter Billie. Billie has been through a lot in her life is now back to pick up the pieces that is her life. She is Max’s best friends little sister and is 100% off limits! But as soon as they meet again, all bets are off. The sizzle just poured from the pages.
I adored most of the characters in this book. LOL I say most because well, in true Lesley Jones style, she has those one or two characters that you want to pull out of the book and knock them around. But other than those, I loved the others! Max’s bandmates were top notch and I pray we get a spinoff for one particular character.
Okay, that’s enough of me gushing that this book and the characters are awesome. Go, one-click now! You won’t be disappointed!!
From page one, I was hooked and had a mad crush on Max Young. The way he cared for his baby girl had me swooning and my heart broke for this man with everything his wife put him through. He’s strong yet vulnerable. And now enter Billie. Billie has been through a lot in her life is now back to pick up the pieces that is her life. She is Max’s best friends little sister and is 100% off limits! But as soon as they meet again, all bets are off. The sizzle just poured from the pages.
I adored most of the characters in this book. LOL I say most because well, in true Lesley Jones style, she has those one or two characters that you want to pull out of the book and knock them around. But other than those, I loved the others! Max’s bandmates were top notch and I pray we get a spinoff for one particular character.
Okay, that’s enough of me gushing that this book and the characters are awesome. Go, one-click now! You won’t be disappointed!!
September 15, 2019
“You came back into my life less than a week ago, and already, I don’t think I want you to ever leave it.”
This book absolutely wrecked me, I just adore Max and Billie. It’s been 2 loooong years since Lesley Jones last released a book, and I honestly can’t put into words how happy I am that she is back. ALL THE FORBIDDEN THINGS was everything I’ve come to expect from this lady, but also so much more, and I truly hope that if you’ve not read any of her books yet, that you’ll pick this one up and find out for yourself how awesome she is..and if you have read her stories before...well, then you already know!!
This book absolutely wrecked me, I just adore Max and Billie. It’s been 2 loooong years since Lesley Jones last released a book, and I honestly can’t put into words how happy I am that she is back. ALL THE FORBIDDEN THINGS was everything I’ve come to expect from this lady, but also so much more, and I truly hope that if you’ve not read any of her books yet, that you’ll pick this one up and find out for yourself how awesome she is..and if you have read her stories before...well, then you already know!!
October 21, 2019
3.5 stars! I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had been able to read it straight through. Life got in the way so I had to put it down several times over the course of several days. I think that’s why I was a bit less invested in the characters and the story seemed to drag a bit for me.
October 1, 2019
Review to come
July 30, 2022
This is yet another new to me author. I seem to be discovering a lot of them I haven’t tried previously. This is a rock star romance and I have a strong soft spot for this trope in the books I read.
The book opens with our hero Max, having a bomb dropped on him. He’s a songwriter and member of a very popular band in the UK. He’s also a new father completely by his wee little baby girl. But his marriage isn’t that great. His wife declares she’s leaving him, she’s in love with someone else and has been since before they met. She only hooked up with Max to bring the other guy to heel and they’ve been hooking up throughout the entire marriage. She’s leaving for the US, taking Layla, the baby Max loves with everything in him and then the final blow, Layla might not even be his.
Thankfully Max has great lawyer and a great support system with his band mates and their wives and families. They all rally around Max, coming up with different ideas, but before they put any into action, his wife and her lover are in a horrific accident; the lover and driver is killed and his wife has spinal injuries and they aren’t sure if she’ll be able to walk again.
The book then switches to the heroine Billie, who is working as Nanny in California. Things are bad, real bad between the parents and she fears for the children. One night things get very bad and she is injured pretty badly and wants to come home. She’s the little half sister to one of Max’s band members, Cal who is also the best friend to Max. Their father and her mother were killed in terrorist attack years earlier and Carl is her guardian. When she comes home, she knows she’ll be seeing Max and Billie is dreading this. She’s known Max for almost her entire life and has always had a huge crush on him. She hasn’t seen him for years and she’s grown up a lot since then. She’s gone from an awkward teenager to a beautiful, confident young woman of 22, though sh still feels very much like the teenager at times.
When she does make home and sees Max, all those feelings come rushing back and Max I thunderstruck when sees Billie for the first time in years and the attraction between the two is combustible. But they can’t act on those temptation. But things ramp up even higher when it’s suggested she becomes the nanny for Layla. She has the experience of looking after small children. She’s grown up in the music industry so understands the travel and the lifestyle. Max is determined to get full custody and though the wife has every intention of fighting him, she’s a terrible mother and only seems to want the baby because Max does. In the meantime though, Max needs a nanny and Billie is clearly the perfect choice.
Much of the book is each of them trying to ignore attraction. It would be hard to find stronger reasons for them not to be together. There is the age difference. She’s 22 and I think Max is 38. There’s the fact he’s married. He despises his wife though for everything she’s done and has every intention of divorcing her. He is best friends with Cal who is very protective of his much younger sister, especially in light of what she’s just gone through. And then there’s the issue of how this will affect the group if/when news gets out. Though he has settled down considerably since becoming a father, he clearly lived the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle and he’s still learning to cope with the the amount of stress he’s feeling and his first reaction is to regress a bit. It seems all hope is doomed.
I liked this book quite a bit and think I’d like to read more of this author though I did have a few issues. It’s over clichéd at times.the wife for example, isn’t just nasty, she’s the very definition of evil and at times it strikes me as somewhat overboard. The angst between hero and heroine comes across as a shade heavy handed. I was also a bit lost at times. Some of the other members of the group have families and I don’t if they have their own books or not, if they do, I’d be interested in reading them. The author didn’t make it clear at all. There is a previous series but it seems to be about a different band that Max and the others were a opening act for before they themselves hit it big. But as I said, it wasn’t clear and I just didn’t feel like doing the homework.
There are a lot of songs mentioned and many I didn’t know. I see authors often include a playlist and I would have really appreciated that. Still, the book is a solid 4 stars and I’m glad I read it.
The book opens with our hero Max, having a bomb dropped on him. He’s a songwriter and member of a very popular band in the UK. He’s also a new father completely by his wee little baby girl. But his marriage isn’t that great. His wife declares she’s leaving him, she’s in love with someone else and has been since before they met. She only hooked up with Max to bring the other guy to heel and they’ve been hooking up throughout the entire marriage. She’s leaving for the US, taking Layla, the baby Max loves with everything in him and then the final blow, Layla might not even be his.
Thankfully Max has great lawyer and a great support system with his band mates and their wives and families. They all rally around Max, coming up with different ideas, but before they put any into action, his wife and her lover are in a horrific accident; the lover and driver is killed and his wife has spinal injuries and they aren’t sure if she’ll be able to walk again.
The book then switches to the heroine Billie, who is working as Nanny in California. Things are bad, real bad between the parents and she fears for the children. One night things get very bad and she is injured pretty badly and wants to come home. She’s the little half sister to one of Max’s band members, Cal who is also the best friend to Max. Their father and her mother were killed in terrorist attack years earlier and Carl is her guardian. When she comes home, she knows she’ll be seeing Max and Billie is dreading this. She’s known Max for almost her entire life and has always had a huge crush on him. She hasn’t seen him for years and she’s grown up a lot since then. She’s gone from an awkward teenager to a beautiful, confident young woman of 22, though sh still feels very much like the teenager at times.
When she does make home and sees Max, all those feelings come rushing back and Max I thunderstruck when sees Billie for the first time in years and the attraction between the two is combustible. But they can’t act on those temptation. But things ramp up even higher when it’s suggested she becomes the nanny for Layla. She has the experience of looking after small children. She’s grown up in the music industry so understands the travel and the lifestyle. Max is determined to get full custody and though the wife has every intention of fighting him, she’s a terrible mother and only seems to want the baby because Max does. In the meantime though, Max needs a nanny and Billie is clearly the perfect choice.
Much of the book is each of them trying to ignore attraction. It would be hard to find stronger reasons for them not to be together. There is the age difference. She’s 22 and I think Max is 38. There’s the fact he’s married. He despises his wife though for everything she’s done and has every intention of divorcing her. He is best friends with Cal who is very protective of his much younger sister, especially in light of what she’s just gone through. And then there’s the issue of how this will affect the group if/when news gets out. Though he has settled down considerably since becoming a father, he clearly lived the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle and he’s still learning to cope with the the amount of stress he’s feeling and his first reaction is to regress a bit. It seems all hope is doomed.
I liked this book quite a bit and think I’d like to read more of this author though I did have a few issues. It’s over clichéd at times.the wife for example, isn’t just nasty, she’s the very definition of evil and at times it strikes me as somewhat overboard. The angst between hero and heroine comes across as a shade heavy handed. I was also a bit lost at times. Some of the other members of the group have families and I don’t if they have their own books or not, if they do, I’d be interested in reading them. The author didn’t make it clear at all. There is a previous series but it seems to be about a different band that Max and the others were a opening act for before they themselves hit it big. But as I said, it wasn’t clear and I just didn’t feel like doing the homework.
There are a lot of songs mentioned and many I didn’t know. I see authors often include a playlist and I would have really appreciated that. Still, the book is a solid 4 stars and I’m glad I read it.
January 27, 2025
Well this one just dragged on and on for me. Just couldn’t get into the characters at all.
September 4, 2019
Not my first read by the author but my first official review & more. The blurb alone is what caught my eye along with the sexy cover of course, but something about single-dad always draws me in!!
Right off the bat your heart will melt and swoon all in one, because Max is the ultimate swoon dad, who is well still marries so hang tight! What a QUEEN-B the one that's ends in CH! Wow, what a bomb that was thrown at Max from his wife Whitney. I myself wanted to smack her! The first chapter will gut you, not even bother to repair that tear...my heart went out to Max and he was so strong, only lost it a few times hehe considering what he just found out and all...well, that's acceptable!
The whole story kind of shifts because it involves a beautiful little girl, a bitch-of-a wife and a career which keeps everything and everyone in the limelight. Max just wants to move on with his life while Whitney has made it her mission to make his LIFE a living hell. Then you throw in Billie as the nanny and things create tears and take wrong turns. Not to mention that Billie is 22 and Max is 38. This is a story of a famous singer and a best-friends-little sister who grew up into a woman. Now they just have to e careful and plan it accordingly...should be easy right! Billie has always been not secure in herself, look wise, and has had a crush on Max every since she could remember, so when they are grown up now she still thinks of herself at that little red headed girl with braces. It was sweet of her, because that made her so innocent and what she went through to have taken her to Max in the first place. The main characters really were perfect for one another.
I was kind of 50/50 on this book because YES the blurb caught me but the hero to me was the perfect rocker-hero but I was kind of hoping little more from him [aside from being an amazing dad] i guess it just comes down to that I couldn't fully connect with the story. TO ME it felt a little all over the place, I guess I am used to reading more about focus on, things like if he is a musician and dad I kind of wanted a little more focus on a few things rather then a lot happening if that makes sense, nothing bad like I said the plot was spot on and it flowed very nice, just something to me. It was straight on and just what I'd read from a Rock-star Romance I just couldn't feel it. Both POV's, age-gap and sizzling sexy scenes. *side note: my review's are always honest, although I don't intend to ever bad-mouth or be rude about a book or author, please understand that the review is from my POV and how I felt, doesn't mean someone else wouldn't like it.
Rating: ★★★★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦
CLICK HERE FOR FULL BLOG REVIEW
September 10, 2019
Lesley Jones is the queen when it comes to rockstar angst! She has a way of making a rock star larger than life while also showing his perfectly normal everyday side of life. He is an average Joe just trying to make a good life for those he loves. Her characters have a way of separating their stardom from their personal lives. And this is what makes her books so wonderful.
All The Forbidden Things is exactly that. A married man who is a new Father falling for a woman more than sixteen years younger who is his best friend and bandmate's little sister. Only Lesley Jones could pull a book like this off and make it absolutely acceptable. It's not about what's forbidden in life but what is deserved... a life of love and happiness.
Max is struggling to take care of his new born daughter Layla. Layla is only four weeks old and it appears his wife Whitney doesn't want to care for her. He's shocked when Whitney announces that she is leaving him and Layla for another man. She's walking away from her daughter. While he's reeling from shock and sheer exhaustion, he's also willing to do anything to protect his daughter. Thus begins his greatest love story, one that includes his baby girl.
Billie is Max's best friend and bandmate's younger sister. Her brother raised her after her parents were killed when she was a kid. She has known Max almost all of her life. She understands his fame as well as his need for privacy. She also is a professional nanny who loves children. Coming home to England not only brought her home to her family but also led her to Max and Layla. This will be the beginning of a love story worth fighting for!
Whitney hasn't finished destroying Max's life. She is only beginning. This time it isn't going to be easy because Max is playing for keeps when it comes to his daughter. The battle is just beginning.
Life and love are never simple in a Lesley Jones novel. She has to wield her magical pen and create turmoil and strife. Her characters have to earn their happiness. They have to experience heartache, despair, anger, lust, passion, and hope before they can live happily-ever-after. The journey is worth it because not only do her characters win their love , the readers get to experience it through every word and magical moment. This is what makes a Lesley Jones novel fantastic.
I highly recommend reading All The Things Forbidden by Lesley Jones!
September 6, 2019
“Max. It’s all right. It’s all right to be scared, and it’s all right to cry.”
This was my first book by Lesley Jones and after seeing this cover and reading the blurb, I was so excited to dive in! Angsty and ultimately romantic, this book was filled with relatable characters and non-stop emotion.
Max Young is a famous musician who has suddenly found himself to be a single father to an infant daughter. He is devoted to her and is determined to be the best father he can be. But he is all alone. He does have his his loyal bandmates to support him, who have been with him through thick and thin.
”Best friends. Bandmates. Brothers in every way other than biological. We had each other's backs through first loves, lost loves, broken hearts, arrests, and hangovers. We’d held each other up through deaths, births, and marriages.”
Max must also deal with his overwhelming situation with his wife Whitney who is COMPLETELY untrustworthy. She adds all the drama to this story. Added to this is the constant attention from the press and the tabloids who are always lurking around Max and his band mates.
Added to all the drama is Billie, the young sister of Max’s friend. She agrees to act as nanny for Max’s baby but she has had a crush on Max for years.
"He’s a married man. He’s my boss. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s all the forbidden things."
‘All the Forbidden Things’ is an ultra-steamy, very angsty story that was very easy to read. If you love a good rocker romance, then you will love this very British story filled with characters who are loyal, funny, sexy and completely foul-mouthed! Max made a very swoony main character, who I was rooting for to succeed.
I would have enjoyed a little more in-depth description of the music business or behind-the-scenes concert action. Nonetheless, this is a very fast-paced story with tons of drama and dual POV’s that worked well. Max wasn’t afraid to show his vulnerable side, and the scenes with Billie are fantastic. This story will be sure to please all fans of Lesley Jones, and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
This was my first book by Lesley Jones and after seeing this cover and reading the blurb, I was so excited to dive in! Angsty and ultimately romantic, this book was filled with relatable characters and non-stop emotion.
Max Young is a famous musician who has suddenly found himself to be a single father to an infant daughter. He is devoted to her and is determined to be the best father he can be. But he is all alone. He does have his his loyal bandmates to support him, who have been with him through thick and thin.
”Best friends. Bandmates. Brothers in every way other than biological. We had each other's backs through first loves, lost loves, broken hearts, arrests, and hangovers. We’d held each other up through deaths, births, and marriages.”
Max must also deal with his overwhelming situation with his wife Whitney who is COMPLETELY untrustworthy. She adds all the drama to this story. Added to this is the constant attention from the press and the tabloids who are always lurking around Max and his band mates.
Added to all the drama is Billie, the young sister of Max’s friend. She agrees to act as nanny for Max’s baby but she has had a crush on Max for years.
"He’s a married man. He’s my boss. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s all the forbidden things."
‘All the Forbidden Things’ is an ultra-steamy, very angsty story that was very easy to read. If you love a good rocker romance, then you will love this very British story filled with characters who are loyal, funny, sexy and completely foul-mouthed! Max made a very swoony main character, who I was rooting for to succeed.
I would have enjoyed a little more in-depth description of the music business or behind-the-scenes concert action. Nonetheless, this is a very fast-paced story with tons of drama and dual POV’s that worked well. Max wasn’t afraid to show his vulnerable side, and the scenes with Billie are fantastic. This story will be sure to please all fans of Lesley Jones, and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
September 12, 2019
MAX YOUNG.
MY HEART
MY EMOTIONS
MY OVARIES
PAGE ONE...it was over for me, sold sucked in. I KNEW I would love this. I was WHAT THE FUCK by the end of the first chapter.
After Each chapter I was dropping my jaw a bit more. Feeling's I didn't want to feel, emotions that just surface. This was all happening. I LOVED EVERY SECOND couldn't wait for more. Each turn of the page my love for this story my love for what I wanted to happen just grew stronger.
You know what I am saying that moment when you want something so bad to happen in a story. I think what I love even more is how one moment I am tossing my kindle, the next sentence I am laughing.
Max and Billie this Story , this life their journey it's so great. It's only made better by how it all happens. The side characters I am so in love with them. They make this story . Max's Mom , Karen oh I love her. Jake may be my favorite (hot little crush I have on him too) . Just read it you'll see YOU WILL SEE!
MY HEART
MY EMOTIONS
MY OVARIES
PAGE ONE...it was over for me, sold sucked in. I KNEW I would love this. I was WHAT THE FUCK by the end of the first chapter.
After Each chapter I was dropping my jaw a bit more. Feeling's I didn't want to feel, emotions that just surface. This was all happening. I LOVED EVERY SECOND couldn't wait for more. Each turn of the page my love for this story my love for what I wanted to happen just grew stronger.
You know what I am saying that moment when you want something so bad to happen in a story. I think what I love even more is how one moment I am tossing my kindle, the next sentence I am laughing.
Max and Billie this Story , this life their journey it's so great. It's only made better by how it all happens. The side characters I am so in love with them. They make this story . Max's Mom , Karen oh I love her. Jake may be my favorite (hot little crush I have on him too) . Just read it you'll see YOU WILL SEE!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews