Forbidden (Bartlett Family) [Mass Market Paperback]

Suzanne Brockmann (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam Books; First Edition edition (1997)
• ISBN-10: 0553445685
• ISBN-13: 978-0553445688
• ASIN: B001JQ71X8
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Suzanne Brockmann is the award-winning author of fifty-one books, and is widely recognized as one of the leading voices in romantic suspense. Her work has earned her repeated appearances on the New York Times bestseller list, as well as numerous awards, including Romance Writers of America's #1 Favorite Book of the Year and two RITA awards.

Married to author Ed Gaffney, Suz divides her time between Sarasota, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts and New York City. They have two grown children, Melanie, who is a personal trainer and a writer, and Jason, who is an actor and tap dancer, and two miniature schnauzers, C.K. Dexter-Haven and Little Joe, both of whom (unlike Mel and Jason) still live at home.

Suz is a proud member of PFLAG -- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. She is also a card-carrying member of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, and MassEquality. A firm believer in civil rights for all people, she has fought hard to bring equal marriage rights to all citizens of her home state, Massachusetts.

Suz also recently produced her first independent feature-length movie, a romantic comedy called THE PERFECT WEDDING, that she co-wrote with her husband Ed and her son Jason. The film is currently in post-production. (Find out more at www.ThePerfectWeddingMovie.com)

Visit Suz's Website at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com
Find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SuzanneBrockmannBooks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a romantic adventure with a soul, March 25, 2000

By 

"zephyre" (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Forbidden (Bartlett Family) (Paperback)

If you like romance, adventure, and a story that has a soul this one is for you. The maincharacters Kayla and Cal are deeply attracted to each other at first site but upon learning that Kayla is his presumed dead brother's fiance she becomes "forbidden." Throughout the rest of the novel the characters struggle to discover whether Cal's brother is really dead or not, and if family loyalty is worth the sacrifice of true love. I really enjoyed this book and I felt empathy for the dilemma Carl had to come to terms with. Where is the line drawn between the happiness of a family member and the self? I also like how Liam, the brother, is portrayed as someone worthy of love too, it makes his brother's devotion all the more believable. Read the book and find out!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised, December 4, 2007

By 

Cherise Everhard (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Forbidden (Bartlett Family) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a re-release of a book that was originally published in 1997.

Two years ago Kayla's good friend Liam proposed to her right before heading to war-torn San Salustiano. He never returned. Kayla had a hard time accepting his death and as a result never went to his memorial service given by his brother, Cal.

Now she has new information about Liam and leaves her Boston home to head to Cal's ranch in Montana to ask for his help. The two meet unexpectedly when he rescues her and the chemistry between the two is immediate and strong.

This was a good story with some unexpected depth. Kayla has had a tragic event in her past and Ms. Brockmann does a remarkable job of showing how Kayla dealt with then and is still dealing with it today.

Usually with these re-releases the books can seem a little dated and silly; I didn't find that to be the case at all with this story. It was a fairly easy read at just 245 pages, but the content was surprisingly rich; I laughed and I got misty eyed a few times. The sexual tension between Kayla and Cal is palpable, they make a good team. Their adventures in Sal Salustiano make the story as adventurous and interesting as it is romantic and at times tragic.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tons of romantic tension, November 4, 2007

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Forbidden (Bartlett Family) (Mass Market Paperback)

Kayla Grey learns that her friend, investigative reporter Liam Bartlett, who was reported dead while on assignment in a Caribbean bus explosion, may actually be alive. She travels from Boston to Montana to elicit the help of Liam's brother. Cal Bartlett is a true cowboy, who has played a caretaker role to Liam since the death of their parents. Cal dedicated his life to ensuring that Liam got everything he ever wanted. Lost in a freak storm, Kayla is rescued by Cal, who is immediately smitten with her. When he discovers her true identity, he realizes that she's the woman Liam wanted to marry, so she is off limits. He is resistant to her story that Liam is alive - not a wound he wants to reopen - but reluctantly travels to San Salustiano to rescue the reportedly captive Liam. With a corrupt government in place, they aren't sure who to trust in San Salustiano. Along the way, the two fall deeply in love. Both have scars so deep, that they constantly find themselves in temptation. Not knowing whether Liam is still alive, they finally give in to their passion, while Cal wrestles with his guilt at likelihood of losing his brother all over again.

Originally released in 1997, there is nothing dated about this story, and Brockmann proves that even without a SEAL, she can write a compelling story. The romance between Kayla and Cal is heartbreaking. They exude so much chemistry, and Brockmann wisely keeps the two apart as long as possible to create an incredible romantic tension between the two, and drawing out the fate of Liam to add to the tension, ensuring that a sequel to tie up loose ends will follow (and it does).