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Forbidden Love
Forbidden Desires...
He was her guardian, absentee landlord of her neglected life--until Megan Kinkead returned to Maam's Cross Court, determined to make Justin Brant notice her. She finally commanded the attention of the sixth Earl of Weston when she burst into his room and caught him stark naked in the tub. Suddenly she knew a woman's hunger--and a woman's needs....
Forbidden Kisses...
When had the scrawny brat from hell become a fiery, raven-haired, violet-eyed temptress? Justin told himself she was still a child as she offered him a seductive yet innocent kiss. He tried to remind himself that he was her guardian, her protector. But the flashfire desire that blazed between them ignited a love neither had ever known before. Then he told her he was married....
Forbidden Secrets...
Bestselling, award-winning author Karen Robards sweeps us into Ireland's lush landscape in this spellbinding novel of a headstrong young beauty and her aristocratic guardian, torn between passion, propriety, and...
Forbidden Love.
He was her guardian, absentee landlord of her neglected life--until Megan Kinkead returned to Maam's Cross Court, determined to make Justin Brant notice her. She finally commanded the attention of the sixth Earl of Weston when she burst into his room and caught him stark naked in the tub. Suddenly she knew a woman's hunger--and a woman's needs....
Forbidden Kisses...
When had the scrawny brat from hell become a fiery, raven-haired, violet-eyed temptress? Justin told himself she was still a child as she offered him a seductive yet innocent kiss. He tried to remind himself that he was her guardian, her protector. But the flashfire desire that blazed between them ignited a love neither had ever known before. Then he told her he was married....
Forbidden Secrets...
Bestselling, award-winning author Karen Robards sweeps us into Ireland's lush landscape in this spellbinding novel of a headstrong young beauty and her aristocratic guardian, torn between passion, propriety, and...
Forbidden Love.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
91 people are currently reading
1625 people want to read
About the author
Karen Robards
135 books3,240 followersKaren Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
March 20, 2013
"Kiss me back, you little bitch, or I'll take you here and now."
That little gem is just one of the many heart warming things the "hero" says to the heroine. The book starts out fine, I was into the whole guardian/ward thing. I could even overlook his whole 'loveless' marriage excuse for infidelity....but then Justin took a turn for the worse. Justin got rapey. Sure Megan could get annoying...BECAUSE SHE WAS 17!!!! I'm down with age differences by the way, just not when the man is an enormous asstard.
The real drama and Justin's sociopathic unveiling comes when Megan finds ut that Justin is married. She freaks out. I can't really blame her...but....how the fuck are we supposed to believe that she had no clue her ENTIRE life that her guardian was married. It was too unbelievable. She gives Justin the cold shoulder which throws him into a spiral of rage and jealousy. He demeans her, belittles her, calls her a bitch etc. She goes out of her way to flirt with other men, bad men she is told. Justin saves her from getting raped...only to basically rape her himself. How romantic.
She ends up pregnant, of course she would. She decides to marry someone else so the baby isn't a bastard. Justin won't have that so he kidnaps her, has a couple more rapey interludes, and then abandons her in some creepy mansion. Oh and she gets to spend the rest of her pregnancy alone. He comes back, marries her and then bitch slaps her. She tries to run away from him, falls off a fucking cliff and their baby dies. WHAT KIND OF FUCKERY IS THIS??? I signed up for a fluffy romance novel. Of course she forgives....the end. Happily ever after.
On that note, here are some romantic quotes to end my review with:
"I could kill you," he said. "I could do it so easily. If you weren't carrying my child, I think I would."
"You vicious, immoral little slut!"
"God, if you do I think I'll strangle you." (this was supposed to be a cute joke in the middle of foreplay, but after his previous treatment of her I fail to see the humor)
"That's a filthy whore's trick!" (she tried to give him a blowjob)
I need to throw bleach in my eyes now.
That little gem is just one of the many heart warming things the "hero" says to the heroine. The book starts out fine, I was into the whole guardian/ward thing. I could even overlook his whole 'loveless' marriage excuse for infidelity....but then Justin took a turn for the worse. Justin got rapey. Sure Megan could get annoying...BECAUSE SHE WAS 17!!!! I'm down with age differences by the way, just not when the man is an enormous asstard.
The real drama and Justin's sociopathic unveiling comes when Megan finds ut that Justin is married. She freaks out. I can't really blame her...but....how the fuck are we supposed to believe that she had no clue her ENTIRE life that her guardian was married. It was too unbelievable. She gives Justin the cold shoulder which throws him into a spiral of rage and jealousy. He demeans her, belittles her, calls her a bitch etc. She goes out of her way to flirt with other men, bad men she is told. Justin saves her from getting raped...only to basically rape her himself. How romantic.
She ends up pregnant, of course she would. She decides to marry someone else so the baby isn't a bastard. Justin won't have that so he kidnaps her, has a couple more rapey interludes, and then abandons her in some creepy mansion. Oh and she gets to spend the rest of her pregnancy alone. He comes back, marries her and then bitch slaps her. She tries to run away from him, falls off a fucking cliff and their baby dies. WHAT KIND OF FUCKERY IS THIS??? I signed up for a fluffy romance novel. Of course she forgives....the end. Happily ever after.
On that note, here are some romantic quotes to end my review with:
"I could kill you," he said. "I could do it so easily. If you weren't carrying my child, I think I would."
"You vicious, immoral little slut!"
"God, if you do I think I'll strangle you." (this was supposed to be a cute joke in the middle of foreplay, but after his previous treatment of her I fail to see the humor)
"That's a filthy whore's trick!" (she tried to give him a blowjob)
I need to throw bleach in my eyes now.
August 22, 2016
A historical romance with no historical accuracy whatsoever. Fine, I could have still liked it. But the book did not know what it wanted to be. It started out like a light farce similar to Lisa Kleypas' frothy confections. And it ended in a lugubrious, frankly distressing bodice-ripper, complete with rape/forced seduction, kidnapping, OW/OM drama, face slaps galore, and worse of all,
I did not understand where the "love" from the title came into equation. Obsession, yes. Lust, for sure. The sex scenes between the protagonists were scorching hot but because of the extreme unlikeability of both of them , I could not stomach this "romance." Gross and offensive.
I did not understand where the "love" from the title came into equation. Obsession, yes. Lust, for sure. The sex scenes between the protagonists were scorching hot but because of the extreme unlikeability of both of them , I could not stomach this "romance." Gross and offensive.
February 26, 2017
Masterful Storytelling Kept me Reading Late Into the Night!
Seduced by her guardian, Justin, Earl of Weston, at his estate in Ireland when she was 17, Megan Kindead is made to pay the price. And oh, how she pays. Though Justin was very aware his behavior was despicable, he “couldn’t help himself” and ruined her just the same. In return, the young innocent fell in love. Of course, he forgot to tell her one thing: he could not marry her as he was already married. Finding she is pregnant, Megan knows to give her child a name, she must wed and soon.
Megan is a high-spirited young woman with courage and convictions. I loved her. Justin was an otherwise honorable nobleman who was obsessed with his ward. He would have her no matter the consequences, even making her his whore when he could not make her his wife.
It’s a bodice ripper, oh yes, it is, and a very good one. Originally published in 1983 (the original cover which has so much more emotion), it is just as good today. The emotions are at times subtle, at times violent, but in all, believable. And the tension is non-stop. Robards is simply a master of this sort of romance and I count myself among her many fans. She always tells a great, lusty story.
This book grabbed my attention and would not let me go. Though no date is given it seemed to be roughly set in the Regency era, and while there were some errors in forms of address and clothing color choices (a mauve “coming out” gown when it would have been white, and reference to a white wedding gown when it would have been a color), the story still gets full marks from me because these errors did not distract from what was a well-written, captivating story.
Seduced by her guardian, Justin, Earl of Weston, at his estate in Ireland when she was 17, Megan Kindead is made to pay the price. And oh, how she pays. Though Justin was very aware his behavior was despicable, he “couldn’t help himself” and ruined her just the same. In return, the young innocent fell in love. Of course, he forgot to tell her one thing: he could not marry her as he was already married. Finding she is pregnant, Megan knows to give her child a name, she must wed and soon.
Megan is a high-spirited young woman with courage and convictions. I loved her. Justin was an otherwise honorable nobleman who was obsessed with his ward. He would have her no matter the consequences, even making her his whore when he could not make her his wife.
It’s a bodice ripper, oh yes, it is, and a very good one. Originally published in 1983 (the original cover which has so much more emotion), it is just as good today. The emotions are at times subtle, at times violent, but in all, believable. And the tension is non-stop. Robards is simply a master of this sort of romance and I count myself among her many fans. She always tells a great, lusty story.
This book grabbed my attention and would not let me go. Though no date is given it seemed to be roughly set in the Regency era, and while there were some errors in forms of address and clothing color choices (a mauve “coming out” gown when it would have been white, and reference to a white wedding gown when it would have been a color), the story still gets full marks from me because these errors did not distract from what was a well-written, captivating story.
February 10, 2014
Overall 4.5 stars
Re: the audio. James Clamp did a good job of narrating. I don't normally like men narrating romance, because their female voices always make me think of a big strapping woman with 'man hands'. Of course, some females do an equally poor job with the males. YMMV, I'm sure.
The story was nice and 'forbidden', which was what I was looking for. As her ward, the H legally had all the power of a father over the heroine. Plus he was almost 20yrs older than she. Then there's the tiny little fact that he's already married.
I normally wouldn't read something with a already-married H, but I could swallow it here. The H hadn't had sex with his wife in years and that's how she wanted it. It would have been different had she been pining away for him, but she couldn't have cared less. As far as she was concerned he could have all the mistresses he wanted as long as he was discreet and left her alone. The only thing she wanted was his title/money.
I really did like the h. She wasn't perfect, but she was 17 and sheltered and she acted like it. Robards really made you feel her loneliness and pain at having had no one in her life who cared for her. I'm still not sure who she was though. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. I took it that she was an orphaned 5yr old on the H's Irish estate when he took her on as a ward. There was some hint that he may have had something going on with her mother, but well after the h was born.
Meagan may have been reckless in how she pursued the romance with Justin, but she was desperate for love and attention AND she didn't know about the Countess. Yes, some have said that's hard to swallow and I agree it was unrealistic. However, within the context of the story, I have no doubt that Meagan did not know and that's what is important to me.
The first half was a little slow to me at times and I'd rate it a 3.5. It was your basic people falling in love with 'seemingly' no great conflict aside from the H being much older and feeling he should be a father figure not a lover. Of course, at that time a 17yr old and a 36yr old wasn't that unheard of. We do know that Justin has a wife and he knows more is at stake, but that's all conveniently pushed under the rug for the time being. The H does give the h a slight spanking (3 whacks) at one point, so that was kinda kinky (or completely DNW depending on your point of view).
But, oh, the last half was filled with crazy and that's what I came here for :) Justin goes nuts once Meagan tries to find a husband within the Ton. She still loves him, but has to convince him she wants to marry another because she's pregnant and knows Justin will not allow her to marry if he knows. She chooses the child over Justin and I respected her for that. She knew Justin would keep her and the child in luxury, but the child would still be a bastard and that was a huge thing at the time.
The last half was a 5 for me, thus the overall 4.5 I gave to the book. However, that's because I wanted a bodice ripper with a healthy dose of crazy and angst. The H is very unlikeable in much of the latter half. He rapes the h several times (to me it was more of a hardcore forced seduction). Little Meagan just couldn't control that traitorous 'inner goddess'. Even when he was being rough and calling her cruel names (slut, whore, bitch) she was still helplessly melting for him. I really wish she'd have at least pretended indifference once, dude needed a little more guilt piled onto his side of the ledger. *evil grin*
He also abducts her, holds her prisoner, and slaps her once - and I won't even get into that scene as it's a HUGE plot point.
This was my first Robards, but definitely won't be my last.
Re: the audio. James Clamp did a good job of narrating. I don't normally like men narrating romance, because their female voices always make me think of a big strapping woman with 'man hands'. Of course, some females do an equally poor job with the males. YMMV, I'm sure.
The story was nice and 'forbidden', which was what I was looking for. As her ward, the H legally had all the power of a father over the heroine. Plus he was almost 20yrs older than she. Then there's the tiny little fact that he's already married.
I normally wouldn't read something with a already-married H, but I could swallow it here. The H hadn't had sex with his wife in years and that's how she wanted it. It would have been different had she been pining away for him, but she couldn't have cared less. As far as she was concerned he could have all the mistresses he wanted as long as he was discreet and left her alone. The only thing she wanted was his title/money.
I really did like the h. She wasn't perfect, but she was 17 and sheltered and she acted like it. Robards really made you feel her loneliness and pain at having had no one in her life who cared for her. I'm still not sure who she was though. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. I took it that she was an orphaned 5yr old on the H's Irish estate when he took her on as a ward. There was some hint that he may have had something going on with her mother, but well after the h was born.
Meagan may have been reckless in how she pursued the romance with Justin, but she was desperate for love and attention AND she didn't know about the Countess. Yes, some have said that's hard to swallow and I agree it was unrealistic. However, within the context of the story, I have no doubt that Meagan did not know and that's what is important to me.
The first half was a little slow to me at times and I'd rate it a 3.5. It was your basic people falling in love with 'seemingly' no great conflict aside from the H being much older and feeling he should be a father figure not a lover. Of course, at that time a 17yr old and a 36yr old wasn't that unheard of. We do know that Justin has a wife and he knows more is at stake, but that's all conveniently pushed under the rug for the time being. The H does give the h a slight spanking (3 whacks) at one point, so that was kinda kinky (or completely DNW depending on your point of view).
But, oh, the last half was filled with crazy and that's what I came here for :) Justin goes nuts once Meagan tries to find a husband within the Ton. She still loves him, but has to convince him she wants to marry another because she's pregnant and knows Justin will not allow her to marry if he knows. She chooses the child over Justin and I respected her for that. She knew Justin would keep her and the child in luxury, but the child would still be a bastard and that was a huge thing at the time.
The last half was a 5 for me, thus the overall 4.5 I gave to the book. However, that's because I wanted a bodice ripper with a healthy dose of crazy and angst. The H is very unlikeable in much of the latter half. He rapes the h several times (to me it was more of a hardcore forced seduction). Little Meagan just couldn't control that traitorous 'inner goddess'. Even when he was being rough and calling her cruel names (slut, whore, bitch) she was still helplessly melting for him. I really wish she'd have at least pretended indifference once, dude needed a little more guilt piled onto his side of the ledger. *evil grin*
He also abducts her, holds her prisoner, and slaps her once - and I won't even get into that scene as it's a HUGE plot point.
This was my first Robards, but definitely won't be my last.
February 10, 2017
This review and the rest of the crap I write can be seen @ my blog Bark's Book Nonsense . Stop by and say hey.
*There may be mild spoilers but everything I write about happens early on. I've left out the truly terrifying spoilers. You'll have to read the book yourself to discover them ;)
This is an oldie, the original copyright says 1983, and I had my doubts that it would be one of those hidden gems but I read it anyway.
You should probably know going in that things happen within this book that are not okay by me. There is some dubious consent, some unfair and ugly name calling, and some unpleasant slapping of all the cheeks. The hero is also a classic alpha-hole and the virginal heroine sees him as a stand-in daddy figure. Don't say I didn't warn you.
I pretty much knew I wasn’t in for sweet and romantic very early on when the “hero” says, “I will do as I please and YOU will do as I please.”
Believe him because he means it.
Megan has been the ward of 36 year old Justin, Lord of Sexton or Weston or somesuch. Anyway, he is a big shot in society and has loads of money and power and pretty much had zero to do with orphaned Megan for the twelve years she has been his responsibility. He’s simply shipped her off to boarding schools and sent her an impersonal gift during holidays. Now she’s 17 and has been tossed out of school for the third time or so and has decided that she is not going back and is staying in one of Justin’s homes. He decides to finally take some action and deal with his defiant, violet eyed minx all by himself!
But he’s not prepared for what he finds. He first spies her dancing like a hussy with his servants. He is ticked off and decides to take a bath before he fires everyone. It's then that she bursts into his room and spies his nakedness and feelings, well, they are awakened . . . She, apparently, grew up a whole bunch in the two years since he’s last bothered to see her and when they are forced to spend a lot of time together, for reasons, he simply can’t resist her lovely young flesh and seduces her. He is a virile man and he has needs, after all. This might be all well and good if he wasn’t married(!!) and an alpha-hole but he is who he is and naturally he lays the blame on her seductive little body. Even though he's old enough to be her dad and should know better. She freaks out when discovers he’s married and terrible things continue to happen until the very end of the book.
It’s too bad Justin had such a magical manroot. Megan likely would’ve had a much easier time noticing his faults and moving along with her life if he had been a dud.
But alas, it wasn’t meant to be and that body of hers continued to betray her wishes. The poor child.
“You’re a little bitch.”
Now some people may find those words seductive because this book gets five stars from many readers but I guess I am not one of them. It's only getting a 2 1/2 from me.
This book made me crazy mad and was all kinds of wrong but I only have myself to blame because I kept reading it. Justin was a jealous, despicable beast and nothing anyone says in his defense will ever change my mind and, yes, I read it to the very end because I couldn't stop myself.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was a guy that put on a snooty voice that suited Justin perfectly. I typically don’t enjoy male narrators in a romance but he even did okay with Megan’s voice too. If you must listen to this, I’d say listen to this version narrated by James Clamp.
*There may be mild spoilers but everything I write about happens early on. I've left out the truly terrifying spoilers. You'll have to read the book yourself to discover them ;)
This is an oldie, the original copyright says 1983, and I had my doubts that it would be one of those hidden gems but I read it anyway.
You should probably know going in that things happen within this book that are not okay by me. There is some dubious consent, some unfair and ugly name calling, and some unpleasant slapping of all the cheeks. The hero is also a classic alpha-hole and the virginal heroine sees him as a stand-in daddy figure. Don't say I didn't warn you.
I pretty much knew I wasn’t in for sweet and romantic very early on when the “hero” says, “I will do as I please and YOU will do as I please.”
Believe him because he means it.
Megan has been the ward of 36 year old Justin, Lord of Sexton or Weston or somesuch. Anyway, he is a big shot in society and has loads of money and power and pretty much had zero to do with orphaned Megan for the twelve years she has been his responsibility. He’s simply shipped her off to boarding schools and sent her an impersonal gift during holidays. Now she’s 17 and has been tossed out of school for the third time or so and has decided that she is not going back and is staying in one of Justin’s homes. He decides to finally take some action and deal with his defiant, violet eyed minx all by himself!
But he’s not prepared for what he finds. He first spies her dancing like a hussy with his servants. He is ticked off and decides to take a bath before he fires everyone. It's then that she bursts into his room and spies his nakedness and feelings, well, they are awakened . . . She, apparently, grew up a whole bunch in the two years since he’s last bothered to see her and when they are forced to spend a lot of time together, for reasons, he simply can’t resist her lovely young flesh and seduces her. He is a virile man and he has needs, after all. This might be all well and good if he wasn’t married(!!) and an alpha-hole but he is who he is and naturally he lays the blame on her seductive little body. Even though he's old enough to be her dad and should know better. She freaks out when discovers he’s married and terrible things continue to happen until the very end of the book.
It’s too bad Justin had such a magical manroot. Megan likely would’ve had a much easier time noticing his faults and moving along with her life if he had been a dud.
But alas, it wasn’t meant to be and that body of hers continued to betray her wishes. The poor child.
“You’re a little bitch.”
Now some people may find those words seductive because this book gets five stars from many readers but I guess I am not one of them. It's only getting a 2 1/2 from me.
This book made me crazy mad and was all kinds of wrong but I only have myself to blame because I kept reading it. Justin was a jealous, despicable beast and nothing anyone says in his defense will ever change my mind and, yes, I read it to the very end because I couldn't stop myself.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was a guy that put on a snooty voice that suited Justin perfectly. I typically don’t enjoy male narrators in a romance but he even did okay with Megan’s voice too. If you must listen to this, I’d say listen to this version narrated by James Clamp.
March 4, 2023
Overall I really enjoyed this very 80s bodice ripper. The h is delightful. I found myself smiling at her antics. She was sweet and spunky and just adorable.
The H was a decent man overcome by his lust for his ward. Sometimes I loved him and sometimes I hated him. He was a shade weak for my tastes and I didn’t like how passive he was sometimes. I wanted to cut his balls off when he leaves a pregnant h alone for most of her pregnancy. But then it seems that he was working on his annulment from his Evil Cackling Whore Of a Wife. So, he was semi-forgiven. 🤨
I loved that he stole her away from the man she tried to marry to cover up her pregnancy. 😈
The drama and angst were 👍🏻👍🏻
The dubcon and jealous rages were 👍🏻👍🏻
Bottom Line? This was a very entertaining drama filled bodice ripper. So, right up my alley. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating between the MCs
- no sharing
- OW drama - the H is married, the h is unaware when she becomes intimate with him. - the H’s marriage is sexless and has been for years - the wife, however, immediately senses his feelings for the h and she tries to make trouble for the MCs
- OM drama - the H gets very jealous of the h’s suitors
- h is a 17 year old virgin - only with the H
- H is a married manwhore - but is only with the h after they become intimate, remaining celibate for large swaths of time.
- miscarriage
- dubcon
The H was a decent man overcome by his lust for his ward. Sometimes I loved him and sometimes I hated him. He was a shade weak for my tastes and I didn’t like how passive he was sometimes. I wanted to cut his balls off when he leaves a pregnant h alone for most of her pregnancy. But then it seems that he was working on his annulment from his Evil Cackling Whore Of a Wife. So, he was semi-forgiven. 🤨
I loved that he stole her away from the man she tried to marry to cover up her pregnancy. 😈
The drama and angst were 👍🏻👍🏻
The dubcon and jealous rages were 👍🏻👍🏻
Bottom Line? This was a very entertaining drama filled bodice ripper. So, right up my alley. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating between the MCs
- no sharing
- OW drama - the H is married, the h is unaware when she becomes intimate with him. - the H’s marriage is sexless and has been for years - the wife, however, immediately senses his feelings for the h and she tries to make trouble for the MCs
- OM drama - the H gets very jealous of the h’s suitors
- h is a 17 year old virgin - only with the H
- H is a married manwhore - but is only with the h after they become intimate, remaining celibate for large swaths of time.
- miscarriage
- dubcon
February 16, 2019
What a mess! This book came across as lazy, shallow, and just plain bad. I stopped reading on pg.115, and then skimmed my way to the end. I wasn't offended by anything; I don't care about cheating, violence, age differences, etc. The writing style was just thoughtless and sloppy. There was no historical accuracy at all, it's obvious the writer did little research. I'm not a stickler for historical accuracy, but I like to see some effort by the author besides throwing in a few old fashioned terms. The dialogue sounded more appropriate for a Western, I couldn't believe the setting was in England and Ireland from the way the characters spoke.
There was poor characterization, everyone was two-dimensional. There was little regard for class systems of this time period, or how people generally thought and acted in this setting. Nothing was believable, and I never became immersed in the story. I knew this book would be a joke when on pg. 95 this happens:
"She moved her hand against him again, this time tracing a finger over the bulge through the soft cloth of his pantaloons. It was iron-hard and seemed to be pulsating with heat, and extended at a slant from just above his thighs to almost as high as his waist....'But what is it?' Megan persisted, thoroughly mystified."
LOL. I find it hard to believe that someone who traveled with gypsies on the road has never seen a dick. Also, this girl is 17...I don't care what time period it is, there would have been talk about men's anatomy from someone in her life.
I'm interested in reading more bodice rippers, but so far I've been most dissapointed by this book and Fires of Winter by Johanna Lindsey. I'm not offended by the taboo content in this genre, but I do want fully-formed characters and an interesting, somewhat believable plot. So far shallow characters, terrible dialogue, and nonsensical plots have abounded in these two books and made it difficult to finish them.
There was poor characterization, everyone was two-dimensional. There was little regard for class systems of this time period, or how people generally thought and acted in this setting. Nothing was believable, and I never became immersed in the story. I knew this book would be a joke when on pg. 95 this happens:
"She moved her hand against him again, this time tracing a finger over the bulge through the soft cloth of his pantaloons. It was iron-hard and seemed to be pulsating with heat, and extended at a slant from just above his thighs to almost as high as his waist....'But what is it?' Megan persisted, thoroughly mystified."
LOL. I find it hard to believe that someone who traveled with gypsies on the road has never seen a dick. Also, this girl is 17...I don't care what time period it is, there would have been talk about men's anatomy from someone in her life.
I'm interested in reading more bodice rippers, but so far I've been most dissapointed by this book and Fires of Winter by Johanna Lindsey. I'm not offended by the taboo content in this genre, but I do want fully-formed characters and an interesting, somewhat believable plot. So far shallow characters, terrible dialogue, and nonsensical plots have abounded in these two books and made it difficult to finish them.
March 8, 2019
When you read a bodice ripper that's shocking and delicious but Jesus never loses control of the wheel.
Karen Robards' Forbidden Love tells the story of a guardian and his rebellious female charge, Justin and Megan, who fall in love with each other.
No, he's not single.
No, she's not eighteen.
And no, he's not remotely in the same age group as her.
But it's ok. It's an escapist form of literature and Robards wrote the hell out of this story.
So much of what unfolds here would not fly at all in the romances published today, and even if it did, it would never escalate to the point where it posed a serious threat to the defined constraints of how a hero, a heroine and villain can act. Forbidden Love is a fun and dark romp of a read because it isn't afraid to poke around and ask What If This Happens? Loved it and have nothing but good to say about it.
July 18, 2016
Oh man I love un-pc books with obsessed hero's!
February 28, 2025
Oh my god! I can't even begin to comprehend what type of pathetic book this was?!
It was okay to write books with huge age differences back then but this?! THIS IS PLAIN PAEDOPHILE BEHAVIOUR.
This hero (if he can be called that) used the word 'little girl' so many times I actually started believing the girl was of 10 years old, not 17!
'Kiss me back you little bitch or I'll take you right here and right now'
'You little bitch' x 721983 times.
'Little girl, you're too little' x every other sentence.
I'm scarred badly. He made her lose her baby. He slapped her. He was married. Do you still want me to continue?
I expected more from a author like Karen Robards, I know she is known for her weird plots, cruel heroes and heroine that suffer the misery of the world....but I am not the one for her books.
It was okay to write books with huge age differences back then but this?! THIS IS PLAIN PAEDOPHILE BEHAVIOUR.
This hero (if he can be called that) used the word 'little girl' so many times I actually started believing the girl was of 10 years old, not 17!
'Kiss me back you little bitch or I'll take you right here and right now'
'You little bitch' x 721983 times.
'Little girl, you're too little' x every other sentence.
I'm scarred badly. He made her lose her baby. He slapped her. He was married. Do you still want me to continue?
I expected more from a author like Karen Robards, I know she is known for her weird plots, cruel heroes and heroine that suffer the misery of the world....but I am not the one for her books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2009
Didn't like the turn this story took, at all. The idea behind it was great and unusual for a historical and they were a sweet couple at first. Then all of a sudden you have the hero turning into a world class arse. If ever there was a hero that deserved a knee to the groin it was this guy. He must have called the heroine a bitch, slut, or some other equally horrible name at least 2 dozen times. When I finished the book I was disappointed that he was still breathing.
December 12, 2017
I must be a sick puppy but I did love this novel. The H was married to a frigid, uncaring gold digger and the heroine was his teenage ward and it was totally politically incorrect but it was so damn riveting. The hero was totally obsessed with the heroine Meagan and she played her little flirtatious games with him until they eventually started having sex. The part I hated was that Justin had never told Meagan about his wife. He showed a total disregard for her feelings and for her sense of propriety. She's just 18 after all and maybe she was hoping he would marry her, then she goes and finds out that he has a witch for a wife. Then the inevitable pregnancy happens and Meagan hides it from Justin while trying to find a patsy of a husband so her child will not be born a bastard. Justin's quickie annulment from his wife made me a bit angry with him, because I wondered why the hell it took him years to get one. Apparently, the impending birth of his heir was just the catalyst he needed. I enjoyed the great drama, tension, sexy MC's with hot burning chemistry and a great old fashioned bodice ripper of a tale. I did wish the author had killed off the frigid wife though. The woman was just such a useless leech on Justin and the reason for so much unnecessary pain.
February 6, 2014
This is classic Robards at her best and makes me sad for the recent stuff she's put out especially her latest, Shameless, which I found incessantly boring. This one on the other hand was quite the opposite. Wonderful, angst filled, heart wrenching story about a young woman in love with her guardian and said guardian in love with his young ward.
Both Megan and Justin are strong willed people and they hurt each other as they work through the difficulties of their relationship.
I wish that Karen Robards still wrote books like this. I really enjoyed this one and it is up there with my KR favorites, Morning Song and
.
I enjoyed this book and just wish her recent releases even came close to comparison.
Both Megan and Justin are strong willed people and they hurt each other as they work through the difficulties of their relationship.
I wish that Karen Robards still wrote books like this. I really enjoyed this one and it is up there with my KR favorites, Morning Song and
.I enjoyed this book and just wish her recent releases even came close to comparison.
February 24, 2013
Nobody does taboo romance like Karen Robards, and on this "re-read" I listened to the audiobook. Excellent story of a 17-yr-old girl/woman who is at first infatuated with and then becomes the lover of her guardian...her 35-yr-old, married guardian.
One of my top five all-time favorite historical romances!
One of my top five all-time favorite historical romances!
January 4, 2015
Um, okay, this is uncomfortable. I can recall thinking this book was incredibly sexy when I first read it, but I was dumb as a box of rocks back then, I'm all grown up now and find the whole premise creepy. The heroine is hardly more than a fetus, and her abuser aka "love interest" is her guardian. Humbert Humbert in "Lolita" is Atticus Finch compared to this rapey jackass.
July 22, 2020
5 stars Loved it!
June 2, 2019
There couldnt be a more descriptive title than 'Forbidden Love' When I first picked this one up I thought the premise was creepy but I think thats what makes it so great. Robards just pushes it further and further. Karen Robards is probably my favorite author.. i wish she would write more historicals!!!!
December 7, 2024
I liked this more than I thought I would going into it. Some of the things people complained about were reasons I picked this up. There is real character development. The growth of the relationship is shown. There are reviews that talk about how mean he is to her, and it sounds like it's from the start, but at the start he's very sweet with her and then due to revelations, interference, insecurities, and the situations they are in, they get snippy and try to hurt each other with words and actions. The chemistry builds between them. There is one dub-con scene, that does turn tender.
I like OW/OM drama, it was just enough here. I liked that he insisted on being in the room with her when others were shooing him out, and the feels when the reverend asked if he was needed and Justin realizes he's asking about last rites.
At one point he calls someone out because of their actions towards her and they meet at dawn.
The characters are enjoyable and redeemable. I liked that they did apologize throughout the story, especially the end. Will check out other books by this author. Stayed up late reading this.
I like OW/OM drama, it was just enough here. I liked that he insisted on being in the room with her when others were shooing him out, and the feels when the reverend asked if he was needed and Justin realizes he's asking about last rites.
At one point he calls someone out because of their actions towards her and they meet at dawn.
The characters are enjoyable and redeemable. I liked that they did apologize throughout the story, especially the end. Will check out other books by this author. Stayed up late reading this.
March 18, 2022
This is the first book I've read by Karen Robards. I liked her writing enough to want to read her other books. I also liked the chemistry and passion between the protagonists. The big age difference and the guardian-ward relationship didn't bother me. In fact, it was the latter that drew me to this book.
What did bother me was the characterization of both Megan and Justin. They were dishonest in their dealings with each other and, at times, cruel too. I don't recall there being much character growth by the novel's end, which probably would have redeemed these characters for me.
Megan's idiotic plan didn't come to fruition thankfully, instead she and Justin were able to achieve a HEA in spite of themselves.
What did bother me was the characterization of both Megan and Justin. They were dishonest in their dealings with each other and, at times, cruel too. I don't recall there being much character growth by the novel's end, which probably would have redeemed these characters for me.
Megan's idiotic plan didn't come to fruition thankfully, instead she and Justin were able to achieve a HEA in spite of themselves.
April 30, 2013
This was my first Karen Robards and I really liked it! It was chock-full of angst (and for those of you who read my reviews know I LOVE).
For a while there, the hot and cold that Justin was doing was driving me crazy, but I think that was more him trying to fight his feelings for Megan. And Megan. Megan. Megan. Megan. For her to be an innocent 17 year old, she was quick to pick up that tears could get her almost anything with Justin and she was manipulative. But you know what? Her manipulativeness and his angry-ness worked to make a wonderfully angst filled story that kept my attention and even made me cry.
For a while there, the hot and cold that Justin was doing was driving me crazy, but I think that was more him trying to fight his feelings for Megan. And Megan. Megan. Megan. Megan. For her to be an innocent 17 year old, she was quick to pick up that tears could get her almost anything with Justin and she was manipulative. But you know what? Her manipulativeness and his angry-ness worked to make a wonderfully angst filled story that kept my attention and even made me cry.
November 18, 2019
I had a very hard time with this book. I didn't like a young girl being taken advantage of by her guardian, but the girl is obviously seducing him. The whole, "I am cold!" BS was annoying. She's supposed to be so innocent she doesn't know what a penis is, but she's all over him like a cheap suit.
Plus, he DOES know better and does it anyway. Basically, if she hadn't been such a hoebag, I could have liked this book much better. The end it was like, "Let's wrap the circus up." Nevermind the horrible and tasteless plot that's preceded this point, we need a HEA!
Plus, he DOES know better and does it anyway. Basically, if she hadn't been such a hoebag, I could have liked this book much better. The end it was like, "Let's wrap the circus up." Nevermind the horrible and tasteless plot that's preceded this point, we need a HEA!
March 4, 2023
0-Run-Megan-Run-Star
This has to be one of the worst stories I've had the displeasure of reading or suffering.
Content Warnings...
- Married hero. Cheating.
- Underage-ish heroine.
- Serious dub-con. Almost rapey.
- Verbal abuse.
- Physical abuse.
- Miscarriage due to physical abuse.
- Abandonment.
I HATED IT. I judge myself for reading this completely. And the CW is the review. If this doesn't speak for the book, then I don't know what will.
This has to be one of the worst stories I've had the displeasure of reading or suffering.
Content Warnings...
- Married hero. Cheating.
- Underage-ish heroine.
- Serious dub-con. Almost rapey.
- Verbal abuse.
- Physical abuse.
- Miscarriage due to physical abuse.
- Abandonment.
I HATED IT. I judge myself for reading this completely. And the CW is the review. If this doesn't speak for the book, then I don't know what will.
July 14, 2013
Pure tripe. He's more than twice her age at the time of the story, he's her guardian (and she's a minor - 17), he's married, he hits her, he rapes her, he abducts her from her engagement and prevents her marriage just because he's jealous. And the less said about her, the better.
October 2, 2021
Re read 2021 - From to 5 to 4 stars.
Un-pc craziness.
Un-pc craziness.
July 20, 2016
Should have listened to my fellow respected reviewers.
Tropey romance a la bodice ripper with an arrogant, older man seducer and a YOUNG and naive duped and abused heroine.
Tropey romance a la bodice ripper with an arrogant, older man seducer and a YOUNG and naive duped and abused heroine.
October 23, 2019
Uno dei libri più belli di Karen Robards e sicuramente uno dei miei titoli preferiti. L'ho letto e riletto tante volte e non mi stanca mai,anzi è sempre un grande piacere rileggerlo!!!
June 30, 2021
Cue song: Dear John by Taylor Swift. It totally fits the vibe of this book except our heroine doesn't leave but puts up with his bullshit.
December 6, 2015
I actually loved this book sooooo much, and I'm really surprising myself when I find the more I think about it and re-read it in my head, the more I love it! At first I thought it was so weird how he's 36 and she's 17 when they first sleep together and fall in love, but as I read on, I thought (for some still unidentifiable reason) that it was amazing, I just don't understand why, and the fact that he is so much older than her, gives me a strange feeling inside me that like I said, I can't identify!!! -.- I absolutely adored the Hero and Heroine though, although at times I wanted to cry. He loved her so much that he became obsessive and cruel, and she loved him so much she tried to run away from him! I actually did cry throughout the whole of the last 2 chapters or so, it was devastating. But the ending is wonderful. ♥
April 4, 2013
It's always such a disappointment to see old, outdated romance novels like this republished with nice, new covers. This one features repeated child rape and Stockholm syndrome. If this male character committed these acts in modern America, he would be facing multiple enhanced felonies. Karen Robards has written many good books; this is not one of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2024
Mais um romance de época lido. Este é um bocadinho mais intenso que alguns que li, mas certamente que isso é uma coisa boa. Gosto de emoção! Apesar do seu "felizes para sempre", têm de lutar até ao fim pelo seu pedaço de felicidade. Gostei muito!
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