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Worth reading 😎

This book brought back memories of Friday night football games, school dances with sick beats and first loves!

Synopsis

In this gripping tale, Maddie Hall finds herself entangled in the complexities of love and friendship. Her heart is drawn to Caleb Stevenson, a charismatic football player harboring a secret life in a drug gang. Simultaneously, Maddie grapples with unspoken feelings for her best friend, Bryan. As high school unfolds with its inevitable twists and turns, the suspense intensifies. The looming question remains: with whom will Maddie ultimately end up with? As the challenges escalate, will they all emerge alive by the end? Uncover the captivating journey of relationships, secrets, and survival in this compelling high school drama.

This book brought my back to my high school sweetheart days. The title "Forbidden" is perfect for this book as Maddie finds her way through the two loves of her life.


"Forbidden" was a super face paced read - I read it one sitting, which was both good and bad. Unfortunately there was not a lot of character development and the plot was at times messy. Immediately you start off with Maddie meeting Caleb - who is a year younger than Maddie, a sophomore, but he drives so he's at least 16. They fall in love fast, having cutesy dates that make you want to be a teen again. There is conflict with Maddie's best friend Bryan who is also in love with her. But Maddie is so preoccupied with Caleb that she doesn't see any flaws within him. We know nothing about why Maddie likes him so much besides that he's handsome and sweet. All characters lacked any sort of character qualities and backstories. It was very rushed in that sense. The other thing that drove me wild is that Caleb is approximately 16 and he's in a gang. Not just in a gang, but he is supposed to be a leader of a gang. There were many parts of the story that were very unrealistic.


I did like the teen love aspect of that book. Everyone has their high school sweetheart that they immediately click with. Every little thing they do is the cutest and sweetest. The month anniversary dates mean the world. But it is devasting when things go south.


I would consider this read to be a teen read. The main characters are in high school, so it makes the book more relatable to teens. The high school football games and dances, the first loves - it's not super relatable to a gal in her late 20s but it does bring back good memories!

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Every chance I can - I am reading! ( before bed, in the car, lunch break, while on the toilet...) I enjoy reading: thrillers, psychological thrillers, romance, mystery, young adult, and fantasy.

Synopsis

In this gripping tale, Maddie Hall finds herself entangled in the complexities of love and friendship. Her heart is drawn to Caleb Stevenson, a charismatic football player harboring a secret life in a drug gang. Simultaneously, Maddie grapples with unspoken feelings for her best friend, Bryan. As high school unfolds with its inevitable twists and turns, the suspense intensifies. The looming question remains: with whom will Maddie ultimately end up with? As the challenges escalate, will they all emerge alive by the end? Uncover the captivating journey of relationships, secrets, and survival in this compelling high school drama.

September 10, 2013

Maddie’s P.O.V.

It was a nice, warm, breezy day on September 10th, 2013. It was one of those days where everything just felt like a movie. My parents Diane and Scott were both busy with their lives that revolved around their jobs as accountants and I didn’t want to be home alone so I went to work with my friend Chase who works at the Meijer’s near my house. 

I was helping him restock when his little brother walked over to us. I had never really asked about his family before because the first time I did a couple of years ago when I first met him he had started crying.

“For once, you show up not needing my help with something,” Chase said laughing.

“For once, you have someone helping you with your job.”

I laughed then looked down and grabbed another can of green beans from Chase. That’s when I saw him. He had wet, black, messy hair, a drop of sweat trickling down the side of his face, a pair of white Jordans, a football jersey, and dark blue jeans with a brown belt. I looked him in the eyes only to find his amazingly, stunning, brown eyes staring back at me. I lost my footing on the ladder due to his mesmerizing gaze and started to fall backward. 

I fell and landed bridal style in his arms. The green beans had fallen out of my hand and burst open on the ground splattering all over Chase’s pants. 

“Are you okay,” he asked. Even his voice was stunning. 

“I’m okay,” I said as soon as I found my voice again.

“Maddie, it’s time for me to take you back home,” Chase said ruining the moment. I was so caught up in the moment that I forgot where I was. Chase’s little brother set me back down. I walked over to Chase.

“You’re such a brat Chase.”

“I know.” We started to walk away and I turned around to look back at him.

“I hope you fall into my arms again,” he said smiling.

I laughed, “Me too.”

Chase and I walked to his car then got in. “I hate you, Chase.”

He laughed, “Why?”

“You never told me that your little brother was hot.”

“I don’t think he is.”

I sighed, “What’s his name?”

“Caleb. He goes to school with us.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he’s my brother and a sophomore.”

“I know who I’ll be looking for tomorrow.”

He laughed, “Good luck.”

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About the author

Tabatha Fitzgerald, at just 23 years young, wrote her debut novel "Forbidden" at the age of 13. "Forbidden" is just the beginning for this young literary star, with many more adventures waiting to be shared with the world. view profile

Published on April 05, 2024

30000 words

Contains mild explicit content ⚠️

Genre:Young Adult

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