Customer Reviews

Heaven Forbids

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kathryn Siddons, was finally free of an abusive husband but her freedom was short-lived as her half brother ordered her 5 yr old son William, from their home to accompany his daughter Sarah, as her companion, to Sarah's new home in the Highlands along with her new husband the Laird of Nenverness, Hugh MacDonald. After the abuse she had experienced at the hands of her deceased husband, it was with astonishment that a look from the new husband of her niece could set her heart on fire - a fire and a longing that she must overcome.

As for Hugh MacDonald, his new wife was everything a man could hope for - beauty beyond compare, a virtual goddess, a virgin who was not afraid and warmed immediately to the marriage bed. Hugh married for political reasons, to bond the lowland Campbell clan to the Highlands - he would grow to love her he thought. What he did not factor in the equation was the powerful pull that the Widow Siddons and her son William would have on him. Theirs was a love that defied logic, honor and duty. Fight as they could they seemed doomed to forever want what could never be.

Set amidst the highly volatile time period of political unrest in Scotland as the proud Scottish clans would gather to try to bring back the Bonnie Prince to be King of Scotland - and feel the wrath and the blood lust of the Duke of Cumberland prior to the Battle of Culloden - their love would be tested and only God and Heaven itself could say whether it would survive.

Again, the characters are written with passioniate feelings, beautiful dialog, and enough descriptive views for you to feel as though you are part of the unfolding drama. Wonderfully beautiful love scenes - very sensual! A good read, but a warning for those who might have a problem with adultery and marital infidelity - if this type of behaviour offends you, then this book is not for you.

Karen Ranney is a master when outlining forbidden love. She tantalizes her reader using prohibitive passion and she does it so well. In "Heaven Forbids", the issue of adultery is front and center. Throughout the pages, Ranney embroils her reader in that sin and artfully builds the intensity until her captive audience screams out at the unfairness.

Kathryn Siddons is the product of a miserable marriage. Now a widow, she leaves behind pathetic memories, and chooses to take her young son to the isolate Scottish Highlands. Here in the remarkable fortress of Nenverness, Kathryn will act as the personal "companion" for her newly wed niece. Instead she acts the personal "fornicator" with the newly wed laird, Hugh MacDonald.

This is difficult ground for the reader to cover. Although the reader does not have great contact with the bride, the author chooses to write the character as a gentle, loving person. This venerable woman absolutely adores her husband, thus causing the reader to sink into the pit of torment.

And what are the ramifications for openly coveting thy neighbor's spouse -- insanity, darkness, and death. Just what every romance book flaunts -- just kidding. I have read interviews in which Ranney prides herself on writing realistic characters. As a reader, I read romance to skirt realism and try to escape into a world of enchantment. When I turned this novel's last page, I remembered the quaint words -- "Why are you banging your head against the wall -- because it feels so good when I stop". I know the feeling.

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada

Heaven Forbids is a wonderful love story. The main characters, Hugh and Kathryn, are not the typical lovers we find in romance fiction. Hugh is married to a woman he does not know and cannot love. Kathryn is a widow bound to his bride as a servant and blood. There is instant chemistry between them and although they try to deny it, their love is so strong that they cannnot be parted in spirit. They face many hardships and a great deal of trama but you know that their love will survive and triumph. Beautifully written, hard to put down. I wanted it to continue, to know what the future held in store for them. Highly recommend it.

excellant story. very well written. Ms. Raney explores the depth of loving someone, the effects of war, and dissapointments one has in their life. Yet despite it all, love endures. Not your usual fluff story. No one outshines the others, very realistic in her descriptions of ones inner feelings. I hope to read all of her books and i hope they are all equally touching. thank you Ms. Raney.

This story is sad and keep you in supense.
Two people that against all odds find each other.
Through out one of the worst era of Scotland
fight for freedom. You need to read this to appreicate it.

When is adultery ever excused or OK in any setting? Does falling in love with someone besides your spouse, even if that person happens to be your soul mate, regardless of whom you hurt, does it make it right?

The widow Kathryn Siddons , a bastard daughter of an earl, raised poorly by her single mother, was always envious of her legitimate, beautiful, kind, and innocent niece, Sara.

The day of her husbands funeral, she meets her soul mate, not realizing how this will change her life. They part not realizing who they are... that he, the mysterious man who almost ran over her on his horse is her nieces future husband. And that she, the woman who has only known hardship, loneliness and unhappiness from her husband will end up being her beautiful, and sweet niece's companion, coveting everything Sara has, even falling in love with Sara's husband.

Kathryn tells herself and Hugh that what they're doing " fornicating" is just, that because of how strongly they feel for each other and how right it feels between them its ok.. thus while Kathryn and Hugh rejoices in their true love, Sara loses her child, and goes mad... which all ends in profoundly heart wrenching tragedy.

I personally found myself being judgmental while reading this. It started off great, their first meeting was gripping and I thought I was in for a great read. However it kept going down hill from there. I found myself being too sympathetic to Sara( wife) for one, this made Kathryn seem selfish, heartless, HORNY, mad in love with someone else's husband.

Hugh seems to spend his time "trying" to be honorable, but Kathryn chases him around, mooning over him... maybe its just me, I found the whole book distaestful after mid way through the book, due to the selfishness of the heroine, not to mention it started to drag on endlessly and repetitive. I just wanted the whole thing to end.

I had high hopes for this novel, sadly I could not like this book. A love story about a envious aunt coveting and stealing her innocent nieces husband.... Maybe if Sara was some evil child... maybe if Kathryn was more self-less and less self absorbed with only her wants... it might've worked and made it seem more excusable...

If you don't approve of adultery, then don't read the book. Don't downgrade the book because it covers a topic you don't like. I thought the book was VERY moving and emotional. Not your typical upbeat romance novel where everything fits perfectly together and the hero/heroine overcome all obstacles. I was drawn in from the very beginning and felt very much a part of the story. At times it was very upbeat and at others very sad but at all times it was interesting. Very good read, especially at the price.

The theme of adultery will always be hard to connect with our ideas of true love. For most, it represents greed, selfishness, lust, you name it. I'm not surprised that it was allowed as the main theme of the book, probably because it is published by Zebra (instead of mainstream Avon). To be honest, it's the very first Karen Ranney title I've come across. And it won't be my last either. I love her flow of words and the way she injects just the right emotion. I came to admire the characters of Kathryn and Hugh, and I was glued to their story of forbidden love from the very beginning.

What I liked about the hero was that he seemed very "deep" in an intellectual way--he lacked the superficiality of most "Regency" men from the more common historical romances today. He is forever questioning the ways of the world, always seeking answers. Meanwhile, the heroine is finally breaking out of her shell...her decision to enter an adulterous relationship with Hugh was born out of a conscious desire to set herself free, to stop being always told what to do, to stop being a self-sacrificing martyr...and to start living life the way she wants to. She was a good mother and a great woman inside out, and I thought she and Hugh were perfect for each other. (He was a well-loved leader of the clan himself)

The only unusual thing I noticed about this book was the lack of Scottish burr. All the Scot characters spoke in perfect English--and they were supposed to be "hardcore" Highlanders! As for the historical content, I wasn't overly concerned about the accuracy. I was too engrossed in the unfolding drama between Kathryn and Hugh. Talk about "When a Man Loves a Woman"! I thought it was very romantic how Hugh adored every inch of Kathryn's skin (stretch marks and all).

As for Sarah, she was a very decent, well-brought-up lady, and there wasn't a malicious or manipulative bone in her body. However, she was obviously ill-suited as Hugh's wife, let alone soulmate. She was too pampered, too self-absorbed, too childishly naive, too BORING. I couldn't really relate to her character, even though I sympathized with her unfortunate loss.

I can't wait to read other titles by Karen Ranney. I've been searching for something different and sensually satisfying. I've gotten kinda tired of those "generic" Regency romance books. I've read through nearly every Mary Balogh, Lisa Kleypas, Cathy Maxwell, Julia Quinn, Nicole Jordan, Jillian Hunter... and lots of others. (A big fan of the late Kathleen Woodiwiss though) This book is a genuine love story--I loved it!

It's a shame this book is out of print. Used ones are available, and it is worth purchasing.

With this book, Karen Ranney gives us a glimpse into an historical period where women suffer abuse and neglect in the guise of marriage. Kathryn is one of these women who, after her husband dies, takes advantage of an opportunity to change her life, only to be caught in another marriage web. Kathryn is flawed but deserving, and we follow her choices with compassion.

One of her choices is Hugh. With description as only Ranney can deliver, we "feel" the attraction between Kathryn and Hugh from chapter one and are drawn through the book by their sensual magnetism. In a brutal world filled with life and death choices, Kathryn and Hugh search the heavens for understanding and truth, and that is where their story rests...among the stars.

Sad, whiney, why me, why me!!!! That's what this book was full of! While not a champion for adultery in real life I don't mind in fiction. However, don't whine & complain about doing it!!! Particularly when YOU KNOW your hearts not torn. Steamy scenes got
me through it. Although I think the last quarter of the book was an unnecessary circle. Couldve been shorter by 100 pages.