I've been on a good book reading binge lately, and Forbidden just added to that list. Forbidden tells the story of Natalie James, who is in New York on a mission. Her objective? To get an internship at the magazine Covet, the place where her best friend had been modeling before her untimely death. Natalie suspects that her best friends death wasn't what it seemed, and she has come to New York for answers. She shows up for the interview equipped for battle, but little does Natalie know that she is horrible out of her depth.
Enter Luciano Salvatici, the CEO of Covet. A man who makes Natalie squirm in her seat and lose her composure. He promises her 10 minutes but by the time the interview is over, Natalie realizes that getting the internship will not be as easy as it sounds, and that Luc doesn't want her anywhere near his precious magazine.
Herein begins Natalie's journey into the underbelly that is Covet. So many secrets lie behind every twist and turn, and soon Natalie James begins to wonder if anything is as it seems. Who can she trust?
Natalie is tenacious, almost to a fault. She didn't falter when she uplifted her quiet life to the hustle and bustle of New York City. She may not fit in into the model thin world that surrounds her, but she doesn't let that bring her down. One thing that I liked about Natalie was what she was true to her personality, and it almost leapt out at me through the pages. Here was a woman, smart and determined, and although she was a little unsure at times, she was still strong. She didn't let the male character bulldoze her into doing anything, which often happens in these kinds of books.
Luciano ran hot and cold. I didn't particularly like him in the beginning, but he grew on me, and by the end I was rooting for the hardass.
And that freaking ending?! My god. I was on the edge of my seat.
I was a little leery of the whole "dark and commanding" aspect of the male characters personality. Many a times that just gives the hero the right to do morally questionable things, but in Luciano's case I found that Natalie held the power. He didn't make her do anything that made her uncomfortable. To be honest I kept turning the pages because of the mystery aspect of the story, which I felt the author set up amazingly. I cannot wait for book two.
4.5 stars.