Forbidden

by Helen Kirkman

Forbidden by Helen Kirkman released on Feb 23, 2004 is available now for purchase. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373836295
• ISBN13: 9780373836291
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Harlequin
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

I totally disagree!!!!!

The reviewers below are all wrong. I was told by someone that her books were not that good, but, I had already bought all of them. Well, I am glad that I did. You don't always have to have so much sex in romance books to make them GOOD. Take my word, this book IS GOOD. It has a new twist on it, with Rowena buying a slave...WULF. Taking place in earlier English history,716 A.D it is not your usual historical romance. Times back then were more raw & brutal. Ms Kirkman does a very good job of telling the story about their blossoming romance. I cannot figure out why the reviewers below did not like this book. I think it was very well written.

Forbidden

I love romance novels and expect alot from an author. This novel and author provides DETAILS, lots and lots of excellent details about what is happening. Let's just cut to the chase...there are well placed love scenes and much in between to show the elctricity between the two charaters. You can almost feel the tension between them.

Hooked me from the start...

From the very beginning of the book, where Rowena purchases Wulf at a slave market, I knew this would be a special story. She feels not only a physical attraction to him, but an emotional one as well, and the struggle she endures trying to understand her feelings for a man she should consider "property" is so well written. That Wulf has feelings for her beyond lust might be hard to believe, but the author makes the reader accept it by showing us what an unusual man he is. (Makes me wish I could run out and buy a guy like him ;) The secondary characters held my interest, particularly Rowena's darling daughter and the evil Eadward. I wish we had seen more of Wulf's brother, but I understand he will be in a sequel so I will be eagerly awaiting that. Just a great book all around.

Wow!

This was my first book by Ms. Kirkman, but it will not be my last. This was a challenging read - those who like simple sentences, one-dimensional characters and every bit of the plot foreshadowed for them won't like it. But if you enjoy characters with emotional depth trying to get through complicated situations with their love intact, and want an ending that you didn't see coming, this is a book for you. Wulf is a wonderful hero - brave, patient, tender and understanding when by rights he should be belligerent and hateful. Rowena is a strong woman trying to keep her family and people safe without knowing who she can trust, finding herself in the bewildering situation of relying on someone who should despise her. It doesn't sound like there would be room for romance here, but there is and it's heartwarming. This goes on my keeper shelf.

A Pleasant Surprise Possible Spoilers

This is an excellent Dark Ages romance and Kirkman has the perioddown. The only thing that I noted after having just read a Roberta Gellisbook was that I would have appreciated a little more detail on DarkAge facts. Not so much for myself but I think that Kirkman is taking forgranted that a lot of readers will understand some Anglo Saxon or Norseterminology that a lot may not know. Even so, it is wonderful reading.Lady Rowena is in need of a champion with nothing to lose and he haseverything to gain if he suceeds. She decides on the spur of a momentin a slave market to buy her champion. She can sense a survivor's willin this slave as well as a need for his own revenge and the person whoaccompanies her to the market is repelled or even fears the slave.This is what decides his and her fate. This sixth sense she has is thatthe slave is her only chance to avenge her father's death and save herand her daughter's future.Wulf while trying to right a wrong that his brother brought about, hasput himself in the way of a dangerous enemy. And when that enemy hasthe chance to destroy him without killing him, he takes it. Wulf orAthelwulf (Athel is the title for a thane or earl in Norse and Saxoncultures of the century the story takes place in ) is expelled fromhis lands when he commits a murder. He is made into a slave and soldto the flatlanders known as Frisians (another terminology from theDark Ages) It is in a Slave Market in Wessex that he is bought byRowena. He gives an oath to do her will but only until the day ofLamas Tide or First Fruits of the Harvest( more Dark age jive) .Kirkman's style is a cross between Dain and Hunter. She flows eventhough her sentences are short. Sometimes she almost has Schone likeshort repetitions but they are much more subtle than Schone. All inall her style is very pleasant to read. It is very fast paced andfluid. I read this book about 350 pages in 2 1/2 hours. Once started Imoved right through it to the end in one sitting and that was withmany glances at the cover. God that guy is yummy.I gave this book a B+ and almost an A- but I think she presumes toomuch from tha reader that they will either from context figure thelingo or just be that knowledgeable about the period which is unlikely. Her editors are at fault here. If you've studiedsome of the Dark ages or Norse Mythology you may get a lot of it. Ihave done both the latter. However it still took me a moment or two torecollect at some points. Even so, Kirkman can tell a story and ifthis second novel is indicative of her talent, I am happy to havefound a new author. If you liked Madeline Hunter, Claudia Dain,Joan Wolf's Dark Age books, and Susan Squires, I think you may very well likethis book.