FROM NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELISABETH NAUGHTON“Suspense, intrigue, action, scorching sexy times… This story has it all!” –Obsessive Reading DisorderHe is temptation. Forbidden fruit. A craving she couldn’t resist.When Natalie James leaves her small town for Manhattan, she hopes to find answers to her best friend’s death. Instead, she finds him.Luciano Salvatici.Dark and commanding, Luc … Salvatici.
Dark and commanding, Luc radiates power and heat, yet protects sinister secrets. Natalie knows she needs to keep her distance, but despite the danger, she can’t help falling prey to his seductive looks, to his forceful touch. Can’t stop aching for one sinful taste of his wicked lips.
Their desire is wild. Intoxicating. Dangerous. But before she can surrender to the fire smoldering between them, Natalie must discover what Luc’s hiding behind the forbidden doors of the House of Sin…
Books in the House of Sin Trilogy:
FORBIDDEN — Book 1
DECEIVED — Book 2
UNDONE — Book 3
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Great story. Real page turner
Good t share
Great read! Absolutely loved this book! It has a little bit of everything you could possibly want in a book! It does end in a cliffhanger but it is such a great read you’ll want to purchase the next one ASAP! Don’t let the cliffy stop you from reading this book! It is worth it! I loved it and if you give it a chance you’ll love it too!
great book but if going to get it, you will want to get the second as well or will be wondering…”what happen?!” For that reason was a little disappointed in how it ended.
A lot of sex, with a good story woven in…
Great series.
I enjoyed this book I only have one problem it was a cliffhanger I didn’t know it or I wouldn’t have bought it. They story is very compelling and the characters rich and very well developed. They plot is holds your interest right up to the end. I enjoyed this book but didn’t like the cliffhanger st the end
Excellent writing. Hate that there is a cliff hanger and not able to purchase next in series
Luciano “Luc” Salvatici has finally had to step up to fulfill family oblugations. Namely, being CEO of Covet. Natalie James is in New York trying to prove that the death of her best friend was not an overdose but murder. Luc and Natalie get caught in each other. He doesn’t know what it is about her but she fulfills everything he never knew he needed in a woman. Now he must work to keep them both from being killed and keep her safe from his family’s nefarious dealings.
Elisabeth Naughton is one of my favorite romance authors. In this new series, “House of Sin,” Ms. Naughton outdoes herself with the first book, “Forbidden.”
Natalie James was only hoping to learn what happened to her best friend, Elena. But she found so much more when her trip to New York uncovered deep, dark secrets of the world behind “Covet” magazine where Elena worked as a model. Natalie also learned about the secrets behind the man and his family that run “Covet.” What Natalie didn’t expect to find is a man who could unleash a fire within her.
If you like strong-willed female characters and dark, brooding men (with some redeeming qualities), get this book now! I can’t wait for House of Sin #2!
More than 5-Stars!
This is book one in the House of Sin series and it features Luc Salvatici and Natalie James. The mystery and intrigue was intense. The suspense is nerve-racking. Secret societies, family-good and bad, archaic laws and the desperate need for change is what this first book and series is all about. He tried to save her but in the mist of saving her, he fell in love with her and everything spiraled out of control from there.
The characters are fantastic! The plot is out of this world! The writing is superb! This would make an outstanding movie. I can’t wait for book two!
A captivating opener to the House of Sin series
This is a deliciously steamy and angst inducing read, though I wouldn’t describe book #1 as dark. I loved Ms Naughton’s Eternal Guardians series, a fantasy/mythological romance blend, but haven’t tried any of her contemporary romance stuff yet. The blurb and genre description totally called my name and whilst, as I’ve already stated, for me this isn’t yet ‘dark’ it IS very powerful in its psychological elements but is more romantic suspense in my eyes. (For me dark is dubious or non-con, violence, sex slavery, torture or mutilation of one of the main characters.)
I wasn’t sure what to expect, though from reading the EG series I know the author is a very talented writer, able to convey emotions and feeling extremely well. In regards to the ‘dark’ aspect, unless I have previously read dark work by that author, I rarely allow my hopes to build up. That said, this had me so twitchy and anxious at times that I was still totally entranced by it.
Natalie is investigating the death of her best friend. The friend she knows would never have taken drugs at all, never mind overdosed on them. The friend whose emails had caused Natalie to become worried. The friend whose apartment was so neat and tidy it triggered massive alarm bells in Natalie’s head, enough to know that someone is hiding the truth. Her searches lead her to the Salvatici brothers, Luc and Gio, but who can she trust and who is keeping secrets? What will happen if she trusts the wrong man?
I was utterly mesmerised by the first part of this story, which will conclude over the next two books in the series. I literally did not want to put the book down, I read it in any 5 minute break I had and I read it far into the night. Despite being part of a trilogy its well on its way to being a 5 hour read and, whilst I personally could have lived without a couple of the sex scenes, none of it felt like filler. The first part of the book had me permanently on tenterhooks, with its ever present edge of danger and Natalie’s frequent feelings of unease or down right fear.
A tiny little part of me felt that at times she could almost fall into the TSTL (too stupid to live) category. You suspect your best friend has been murdered and you run straight towards the people you believe are responsible. However it didn’t bother me in the slightest because (a) it was vital to the story and (b) she didn’t come across as stupid at any other point. Both main characters come across well and are likeable. It did want to smack Luc upside the head for never actually explaining to Natalie just why he told her to do things, or why she was in danger. However I get that he thought he was protecting her by doing this.
The middle of the book becomes more of an erotic romance, with Natalie discovering Luc’s hidden desires and his need to dominate. Whilst this section is very steamy, it did feel an integral part of developing both Luc and Natalie’s characters, as well as forging a believable connection between them. I loved Natalie’s strength of character throughout this section. We then get to the last part of the book, where events take a more sinister turn and the tension level rises again and we get a very dramatic, cliffhanger conclusion to the story. Whether events will turn darker from this point obviously remains to be seen but what is without doubt is that I will be continuing to read this series of books until the end.
Given the very sexual and erotic nature of the books it’s definitely an 18+ read, but it’s also a book that I am very happy to recommend to friends, family and fellow book lovers.
4.25 stars–FORBIDDEN is the first instalment in Elisabeth Naughton’s contemporary, adult HOUSE OF SIN dark, erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on twenty-four year old, American Natalie James, and thirty-two year old Italian businessman Luciano Salvatici’s story line.
NOTE: Due to the story line content, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Luc and Natalie) FORBIDDEN is a dark, erotic romance story line that follows the building but contemptuous relationship between Luc Salvatici and Natalie James. Natalie James have never been to New York but a interview with the House of Salvatici and its fashion magazine COVET meant Natalie would have access to everything her best friend Elena had so cryptically mentioned in the weeks before her sudden death. Meeting Luciano Salvatici (aka the beast) found our heroine unwittingly drawn to the dark and mysterious CEO, a man whose instant dislike for Natalie disguised an urgency to protect her from the monsters within. What ensues is the acrimonious but highly sexual relationship between Luc and Natalie, and the fall-out as the Salvatici family history demands payment and submission from all those who dare to seek the truth.
FORBIDDEN is a story that covertly and slowly reveals a dark and dangerous family secret going back hundreds of years that continues go grow in strength to the present day. The blackened, sexual nature of the family history threatens all those who dare the cross their paths, including our heroine who has inadvertently stumbled down the rabbit hole into a world that is about to destroy her life. Warned numerous times not to tread outside of the lines, our heroine’s constant need to prove she was beyond the reach of mere, mortal men finds herself in the line of fire, threatening her very existence and the heart she lost to Luciano Salvatici.
Elisabeth Naughton pulls the reader into a shadow society that plays by its own rules; a family so deeply immersed into domination, power and control their own son struggles to move on from the past. The premise is dark, dramatic, erotic and intriguing; the characters are colorful, charismatic, and astonishing; the romance is fated, passionate and tragic. FORBIDDEN is a familiar story line but a story line I am desperate to see follow through.
Natalie James is looking for answers. She sucks the reader in as she tries to solve a mystery. Luciano “Luc” Salvatici may be a man of power but he doesn’t appear to be happy. He’s something of an enigma. Gio Salvatici is a man with an agenda but does it involve Natalie? Gio may not be a main character but he seems important to the plot. Will be interesting to see if he appears in the next book of the series.
I felt that this book was just a tease for what is yet to come. Because it’s a tease, I couldn’t turn away and certainly had no trouble turning the page. I’m terrible at mysteries and Luc was the biggest one. Even though we get his point of view, being told in the first person, I felt as if he was holding something back. If he wasn’t going to tell Natalie, he wasn’t going to tell us. There’s plenty of heat between our main characters but with everything left unsaid, what does that leave in store for us in the next book titled Deceived. I certainly can’t wait to find out.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Great start to a series! Full of mystery and steam. Naughton has a way of developing deep characters and this book is no exception. Worth a read. Does end in a cliffhanger but that is to be expected from this kind of series. The Dom/Sub relationship isn’t over done or creepy in anyway. Had me on the edge of my chair the entire time.
I received a free ARC for my honest review. I am not affiliated with the author or publisher
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F BDSM Dark Romance
Triggers: Cliffhanger! Murder, BDSM aspects, “sex kitten” issues, Drugs
Luciano is an enigma. Luciano, or Luc, is trying to live his life, but when he’s called to head the family business, he really has no choice. He’s thrust into the life he doesn’t want and made to heel at his father’s whim. He knows that he should not have anyone close to him, but when Natalie comes to his office, he is immediately intrigued with her.
Natalie is at Covet for one reason – find out what happened to her best friend. When she meets Luc for the first time, she’s intimidated and then thoroughly dismissed. Feeling defeated, she finds a different way into the company. Natalie is very naïve in this story. She is trusting and so virginal it really takes a lot for me to believe that she can even survive this world.
The journey that Natalie and Luc go on is one of danger and lust. There is a lot of chemistry between Luc and Natalie, but their overall relationship is one of mistrust and lies. When the truth comes out, you can’t help but wonder where the story will take you – lead you. This was a quick read with a lot of steam. It will be interesting to see if Naughton can hold the storyline throughout. I hope that it becomes more clear and is developed with less “white noise,” as I thought this story was good but had a lot of misdirection woven in.
Ruthie –
This is the first book in a new series. It certainly sets the scene for us, although in a most disturbing world. It is, however, quite fitting that a fashion magazine would be a good cover for such an operation.
At the heart of the story are Natalie and Luc – a mismatched pair, but clearly one that works for them… sort of. The level of secrecy and mistrust is such that I am not sure how it could ever really work, but no doubt Ms. Naughton plans on showing us in future books. I did find Natalie’s ability to determine Luc’s every mood by his eyes a little unbelievable at times, and then even when she did, she reacted in denial of what she saw. I get that she was a little (haha) out of her depth, but at some point, she had to trust her own eyes.
This was not really for me, but it is well written, and pages of it I loved, but then it got too dark or twisted, or I became frustrated with bad decisions. I do believe that we will get more clarity as we go forward, but for now, I am stuck in uncertainty.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Forbidden (House of Sin #1) by Elisabeth Naughton to read and review.
He mystified her, she intrigued him. Luciano Salvaciti was a man who wanted everything to be under his control. When he caught sight of Natalie James inquiring for a job at Covet, he knew she was trouble. And trouble seemed to follow them both, wherever they would go.
Natalie only wanted the truth about her best friend’s death. Going to Covet could bring her close to her suspects. But what she found was something way beyond the norm. More like an occult. A sin. Something forbidden. Something primal. Something deadly.
I have to admit, this is absolutely the most electrifying, most titillating and most seductive book I’ve read from Elisabeth Naughton. And this is just scratching the surface. Forbidden is the first book in the House of Sin series, and I am already overwhelmed by the amount of super hot, erotic and mindblowing sexy scenes. The pages nearly burned my skin because of the scorching hot details in the story. Luc and Natalie could easily combust and burn the house down. I was speechless while reading the book, and when I came to that astonishing end, I screamed and now I am asking for more.
That’s how good this story is, very very articulate and very very stimulating and very very mystifying. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. Elisabeth Naughton needs to release the sequel immediately!
Wow!
Amazing story!
I was totally hooked on this book and couldn’t read the pages quick enough. I knew Gio was trouble from the beginning, but I just thought Luc was an jerk. Then we see his softer side, the side that wants to protect and save everyone that he can.
I liked Natalie and the strength that she had to try to find out what happened to her best friend. She knows her friend would never overdose, so she has to get close to the people at Covet to see what she could find out.
She ends up catching Luc’s Eye and he knows that she is in over her head, so he takes it upon himself to try to protect her from his family. Then the trip happens and I really start stressing over his family and the danger that Natalie was in BUT it turns out that I was blindsided by whom she should have truly been afraid of.
This is a must read book and I can’t wait for the next book to be released to see what happens next.
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Dark, dangerous, suspenseful, on the edge of your seat goodness is what you get in Forbidden, the first book in the House of Sin Series by Elisabeth Naughton.
In Frobidden you meet Natalie and Luc. Luc is the CEO of Covet, a fashion magazine. Natalie is looking for a way into Covet to find out what happened to her best friend. Their first meeting is explosive on both sides. They are drawn to each other, they are intrigued with each other, but they both know the other is off limits.
When Luc steps in to keep Natalie away from his brother, he realizes his mistake too late. He can’t get enough of Natalie, but if she ever truly sees the darkness that is locked inside him, the secrets his family hides, she will run from him as fast as she can.
This amazing book kept me on the edge of my seat from cover to cover. I will warn you know, there is a cliff hanger that will take you into book 2. But fear not, you don’t have long to wait, cause she is releasing them very close together. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I want to see how Natalie deals with the darkness and the secrets. Will she find out what happened to her friend? Will she run from Luc, or will she stand and fight for his soul? Will Luc be able to keep Natalie safe when the truth comes out? Will he be able to make her understand that she is his light in the darkness, or will he lose her forever? Only time will tell in the House of Sin Series.
Looking to find the truth in her friends death by any means, Natalie becomes entangled with the Salvatici’s—a very powerful Italian family. Luc is all strength and dominance and becomes involved with the one person he is trying to keep away from himself and his family. This story is fast-paced, globetrotting, suspenseful and intriguing read. I could not put this book down and am looking forward to the next in the series.