It started as as a simple search for a landscape designer…I wanted a beautiful backyard for my new home and my neighbors suggested I look into Ward Landscaping & Design.The owner had no pictures of himself on his website, just a portfolio of nice outdoor sitting areas, pools, and vibrant gardens that I’d always dreamed of having.Of course I hired him.I expected to meet an average guy, but … expected to meet an average guy, but Mr. Marcel Ward is far from your average man. He’s handsome, and well-built, and his smile–though a rare feat–is truly infectious.
He’s every woman’s dream–a handsome, older man who doesn’t mind getting down and dirty to create something beautiful all because of his passion for it. Unfortunately that lucky woman can’t be me.
Although Mr. Ward tests my limits, quickens my breath, and makes my heart skip a beat when he’s around, I’ve made a promise to devote myself to my husband.
So why am I falling for a man I know I can’t have?
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Just WOW!!!! Marcel and Gabby have the most addicting chemistry EVER and along with it a whole lot of mixed feelings with a whole lot of angst with so many layers to this story everything is not what it seems it goes deep people right into your very soul, you will get mad and frustrated and show a whole lot of feelings but keep an open mind because yep things happen in life and when fate shows up its super hard to resist. I loved every single word it has an amazing mind blowing plot with super intense hot scenes that you will melt into a puddle right there on the spot, its like you are inside their very thoughts its that well written and you will cheer and then say what the hell just happened. I am so excited for the continuation I really love these characters they stick right there in the back of your mind and are not easy to forget.
Shanora knows just how to touch my taboo/forbidden loving heart!! This book was seriously HOT and I literally couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. That cliffy at the end left me going OMG did that just happen?! WTF?? I seriouslly need part 2 of this duet ASAP!!
Shanora knows forbidden. “The Man I Can’t Have” has Shanora’s signature brand of tension built longing, stamped in every chapter. Shanora’s story is filled with emotions of her characters yearnings. The connection between Marcel and Gabby is unstoppable. This is book one of a duet. If you’ve read Shanora before you know she leaves you screaming. I’m looking forward to the next book! Shanora’s bringing it deep with this story and I’m ready for more.
He is so perfect-everything I’ve always wanted in a man.
Too bad he can never be mine. -Gabby
4.5 Dahlia Stars
My favorite author that writes taboo, older man/younger woman stories is BACK!!! Picked this one up and inhaled it.
While I was reading this story, the feelings were off the chart. From the hot as heck steamy scenes, to the feeling of sorrow for someone who finds their partner a bit too late in life.
There is so much that goes on behind closed doors. Only a person who can truly feel and read the other is capable of seeing that what is pretty on the outside is absolutely beautiful on the inside. Letting that beauty go free and explore is what makes life totally worth it.
Mr. Ward has that capability to see that Gabrielle is beautiful both on the inside and outside. Although the face she puts on around her husband is one thing…. The sunshine and life on that face when he is around is something he would love to see forever.
Bring On the Conclusion…STAT!!!!
Heading off to the phone book now to look up Ward Landscaping & Design… I think I need some back yard improvements done!!!
Oh my ….fanning myself …this is a smoldering hot forbidden ride !!!
Gabby is a newly married young woman that has just moved in to a home that is in need of landscaping . She gets some input and hires sight unseen Marcel the owner and muscle behind Ward Landscaping. When he arrives he is so not what she was expecting . He is talented, ruggedly handsome, and has an immense passion for his work. He is truly infectious in more ways that one. She soon realizes that she is captivated by him. She knows that these feelings are wrong. She has made a commitment to her husband but she soon finds herself wanting and needing something She Can’t Have . Get ready for an wild ride with so many emotions ….it is smoldering, sexy, heartbreaking and the connection is undeniable !! I cannot wait to see where Shanora will take us on this journey!!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
No one knows how to craft a forbidden romance quite like Shanora Williams! And here we are once more with a taboo love story that is all kinds of angsty. All kinds of intense. And all kinds of sexy. What starts as a polite kind of relationship between devoted wife and her landscaper turns into the kind of wanting that will break not only vows but could harm much more than mere feelings.
I can’t blame Gabby Moore for wanting a bit more out of her life. Newly married to the very successful Kyle, her new life as a bit of a kept woman has her somewhat restless. I love her spirit and her caring nature. It’s no wonder that one Marcel Ward finds her not only very sweet but very attractive. Their easy-going rapport when he decides to tackle her yard and make it beautiful is just the beginning to what would become almost more than either can handle.
Williams pulls out all the stops as feelings of friendship turn into that exquisite kind of longing neither Gabby nor Marcel ever saw coming. Each has closely-guarded secrets both are hesitant to share and it’s a whirlwind of emotion as they continue to throw caution to the wind and guiltily seek the other out.
Hold on tight! This first part in the Ward duet had me on the edge of my seat more than once as this forbidden attraction goes out of control in the most erotic and yet very touching of ways. I didn’t know how to feel at times since neither Gabby nor Marcel wanted to implode their lives. But sometimes, when the heart wants what the heart wants, there’s no looking back.
And then we’re left with not only wanting The Man I Can’t Have but wanting book two immediately. I felt it all with this book and I can only imagine how Williams will obliterate my heart going forward. She’s quite the master at that.
A real page-turner, The Man I Can’t Have deserves a solid 5 stars all the way!
I’ve been picking my first reads from new to me authors extremely well!
The Man I Can’t Have, fulfilled all my expectations! What a great book!
This story is so much more than cheating… it’s angsty, emotional, suspenseful and so forbidden… but there’s also some secrets that lead to actions that you start acknowledging while you read and before you know it, you see yourself cheering for an outcome you don’t even know you could possible want!
The characters are so well designed, as well as the plot, making the story flow just right.
Kyle… I knew from the beginning that he might be hiding something. I still don’t know what, but he’s definitely not innocent.
Gabby… a normal young woman, dealing with being alone in a new house, hinting that somehow her new marriage is not as good as it seems. Since the beginning you can feel there’s something wrong with it, the way Kyle as absent as he is interact with her.
Marcel… he’s broken in so many ways but he’s also so strong and alpha! He’s definitely the man you always wanted to have in your life!
Gabby and Marcel together are like a huge atomic bomb ready to explode! Their chemistry and sexual tension since the beginning, is off the charts!
It ends in a HUGE cliffhanger that will make you want the next and final book even more!
I loved this story and cant wait to read the final part of their lives!
Omg what a story!
The “angsiest” story I’ve ever read!
Haunting and heartbreaking this intense and passionate story was more than I expected. Flawlessly written, it was provicative, explosive and full of unexpected twists.
The title says it all and promises and unforgettable story!
What happens when you’re tempted to have something you know you can’t have?
The answer is not that’s simple.
From page one we meet Marcel, his life is full of turmoil and pain. A tragic moment changes the course of his life and Ward Landscaping is born.
Little does he know a new residential job may turn into the biggest challenge of his life.
Gabby is a newlywed who just moved into her dream house. She’s living the life, in her dream house with her dream of a husband… or is it?
Living in her new house has her questioning is she living her best life?
That question is put to the test when she hires tall glass of southern deliciousness Marcel aka the landscape architect aka landscape guy for the job.
This read was a pure adrenaline rush as their agonizing and passionate story unfolded.
The easy friendly banter turns into something else that has her questioning all the secrets in her life!
Little does she know there are even bigger secrets all around her!
Book 2 cannot arrive fast enough!
4.5 stars!
OMG! This book was everything. When I started reading I really thought how are we going to love how their relationship started. A little bit further into it I realized that I was going to hate her husband. I knew there was something from everyone’s opinion that wasn’t revealed to us just yet. I loved Marcel. He was romantic and caring. He lost so much. He deserves someone to love and care for him. Gabby and Marcel’s chemistry was off the charts. I hate Kyle. I am sure that is not shocking! I need to know what comes next. That was some cliffhanger! This author is an amazing storyteller.
Magic, beautiful, a trap. Shanora’s story is unforgettable; it tears me into pieces. How can I become whole again? No way. IT’S A LONG WAY FROM JUNE.THE MAN I NEED. I WANT. NOW. I NEED IT!!! PLS.
Her book, The Man I Can’t Have goes on my Top 10 List for 2019. /I know this list keeps growing, but it’s not my fault./The story is romantic, new adult. I would categorize it into the forbidden love. It can be read in the present time, in changed perspective. The plot can be traced throughout story and it takes you. You won’t even notice that you’ve read 200 pages. Then there’s no reason to stop. You have to read it.
Read more: https://www.gcksbookreviewblog.com/2019/05/arcreview-excerpt-tha-man-i-cant-have.html
Well, what can I say? not much as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
When Gabby wanted her backyard designed did she get more than she bargained for when she meets MR Ward the landscape designer? he is handsome and sexy every women’s dream. Can she avoid the temptation? You will have to read to find out.
This book is amazing it is emotional, has all the feels it is angsty, sexy, it is so good I have loved every word in this book, I was hooked from the first page. I thought I knew what was going to happen I was so wrong I didn’t expect that.
If you have read Shanora books before then you know you are in for a rollercoaster of a ride well written and I can’t wait for the next book to see how this all plays out.
The Man I Can’t Have is phenomenal! I was so captivated and I just couldn’t put it down. Gabby and Kyle just moved into a new house and wanting to get their backyard done, Gabby hears about Ward Landscaping and Design and hires his company to do the work. Gabby and Marcel start a friendship that grows deeper. Several twists and surprises in the plot. The characters and storyline were so believable. This story is definitely a rollercoaster ride. Emotional, explosive chemistry, steamy and thrilling. And that ending- Gah!! I didnt see that coming. Now I need book two to see how it will out turn out. I’ll be over here not patiently waiting!
Do you ever feel guilty about a book? Do you ever feel like you are betraying someone for reading said book?
I read the blurb for this book and I was so intrigued I had to have it. But as time wore on, I started to feel guilty. Irrational, yes but legitimate. I was worried about my emotions. What if?
What if I fall for the other man? What if I try to rationalize “bad behavior” ? What if…I don’t? What if I love it so much? Does it make me a bad person?
I can’t answer any of those questions for you but for me. I fell. I fell hard. Rationalizing doesn’t help/work or change anything. And for the most part, I’m not a bad person. The Man I Can’t Have is definitely going to keep my on edge. The ending left me twisting in the wind and raging out. I was contemplating Hulk Smashing stuff but since I’m on an airplane I figured I should reign it in.
I can’t fully “verbalize” how this book has effected me. I know I should continue to feel guilty for being a bystander but I just want to kick some ass. I want to call Ricky ( and maybe shake him too!).
I’m the end, I’m stuck in limbo waiting. I need to know what happens.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
WOWSA!!! This book was just amazing. Think it might be my favourite read from this author and it’s definitely my favourite hero from her. He was DIVINE with a capital D!!!
Age Gap
HAF
Angsty as hell
Packed with plot twists, chemistry that pours from the page and enough emotions to have you reaching for your wine or tissues. I cannot wait for book 2!!!
Get it on your TBR immediately!!! Definitely recommend.
In My Top Favorites of 2019!
Shanora delivers another must-read, unputdownable book that will have you on pins and needles needing to know what happens next. It’s raw, angsty, heartbreaking. You’ll be questioning your morals when you read Gabby and Marcel’s story. I loved them! I can’t even with that cliffyI need this conclusion like I need air to breathe!
Shanora Williams has slayed me with TMICH!
I don’t know how she does it, but every hero in her books seem to get hotter and hotter and I keep switching my mind as to which one is the one I FLOVE the most!
Marcel and Gabby (holy sh*tballs) their story is so deep and their chemistry so damn hot that it will have you literally on fire. You will start feeling that pull from them and you’ll find it impossible to let go of your device because the story is that damn good.
This story gripped me and gripped me hard from beginning to end. I absolutely love Shanora’s writing. Her books are always on my top reads no matter what. She has NOT once disappointed me. If anything, I think her books just keep getting better and better. My hands are always itching to get the next book she’ll have coming out.
Marcel and Gabby have taken me on one hell of a ride that I just can’t seem to stop from going round and round.
Give me forbidden, age gaps, give me hot alpha males, sultry, and angst all in a nice little package and I can guarantee you that I WILL LOVE IT and that’s what Shanora did with this book <3
I am dying here for the conclusion of Gabby and Marcel.
JUNE WHERE ARE YOU!!
Holy moly!!!
Good GAWD!!!
This book is everything. The twist are amazing and not what I saw coming at all. The emotions in this story buried me it was so heartfelf and captivating! Every page had me sunk I needed more I craved it. Marcel was hot, hot, hot. This story was full of hotness and fire. The passion was off the charts keeping me wided eyed. A forbidden romance that keeps you guessing and wanting. I can not wait for book 2! Shanora delivers yet another older man/ younger woman, forbiddon romance that is off the charts!
The chemisty between Marcel and Gabby is amazing I cant wait to see where it goes.
From the second I started this story, I could not put it down. Absolutely devoured it all in one afternoon – it’s that incredible!! So much angst, passion, drama – oh my goodness I just wanted more. Once Gabby opened that door to Marcel, that girl stood absolutely no chance in being able to resist him, no matter how happily married she said she was. All those conversations, stolen glances through the windows, innocent flirting, an absent spouse, and alcohol thrown into the mix – it was going to go down (the title pretty much implies it). And let me say, when it did happen – it was hot!!
But then that ending – WTF? I did not see that coming from a mile away. I’m going to be on pins and needles anxiously waiting part 2 of this duet – June can’t come soon enough!!
5 OH MY HEART STARS!! Oh my heart!! This book is phenomenal…it will pull and push your heart in every direction. Wow, Marcel, Gabby and Kyle’s story is off the charts with angst, sexual tension and love. My words do not this book justice….You just need to READ THIS BOOK NOW!!! Shanora Williams has written a book that will be in my TOP 10 books for 2019.
Omg Shanora whyyyyyy would you do this to us?!?!? That cliffy was pure evil & genius because I am wishing my birthday month of May away so June can hurry on up.
Marcellus Ward is what every house wife should experience as eye candy on days where hubs is at work and you’re just home bored. The man is GORGEOUS! And deserves to just be stared at for hours. If you’re lucky enough to *clears throat* get more benefits from this landscape architect then ladies, you’ve hit the mother load….just like our girl Gabby. More on that later.
By just reading the blurb most may think they know what’s going on but trust me you have no clue. I’ve just read book one and I know this is just the tip of the iceberg and this story has so many more layers to unfold for us. Don’t be judgy, give the book a chance and read it. It is the ultimate taboo read. You’ll thank me later.
Gabby is a young, sweet as pie newlywed that has just moved into a new town with her pretty new hubby from the big city. Kyle, her husband wants nothing more than to make his wife happy with this big ol house *side eye*. Gabby dreams of a beautiful backyard and is recommended the very talented Mr. Ward. That’s all you’re getting on that front because stuff gets real after that.
We discover along the chapters that things are so complicated in Gabby’s world. Poor girl was in between a rock and a hard place, being faced with challenges all around. This book was a slow burn of desire, secrets and temptation from beginning to end. The way Shanora eased us into this world, building the characters and allowing us some insight to their backstory was beautiful. This story takes you on a journey where you can’t help but understand the decisions made, what lead to them and why no apologies were needed. This book was HOTTTTTT!!!! Marcel, again is the stuff that dreams are made of. Alpha, possessive, sexy and swag like no other. Oh gosh the man was Fire.
I am impatiently awaiting book two because that last chapter of book one left my jaw on the floor, so June lets get to it. Another brilliant book by Shanora Williams. Read it, love it and impatiently wait like myself and countless others for the conclusion of this masterpiece.