Forbidden (The Scandalous Women of the Ton, #6) by Nicola Cornick

Nov 08, 2012 Carol *Young at Heart Oldie* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-star-books

I'm so, so disappointed that FORBIDDEN is the last book in the Scandalous Women of the Ton series. It's been an excellent series and I'll miss my regular dose of the scandalous goings on. This engaging rags-to-riches story is a winning blend of passion-filled romance and intriguing mystery and it’s just the perfect ending to a great series.

My Thoughts:

I adore Margery! Who'd have thought there was such a headstrong, stubborn woman beneath that sweetness and innocence! She definitely proves a perf...more I'm so, so disappointed that FORBIDDEN is the last book in the Scandalous Women of the Ton series. It's been an excellent series and I'll miss my regular dose of the scandalous goings on. This engaging rags-to-riches story is a winning blend of passion-filled romance and intriguing mystery and it’s just the perfect ending to a great series.

My Thoughts:

I adore Margery! Who'd have thought there was such a headstrong, stubborn woman beneath that sweetness and innocence! She definitely proves a perfect foil for Henry. There's a great scene where, after discovering his deception, Margery unleashes all the anger she feels against him. She certainly doesn't pull any punches! It's easy to sympathise with her feelings of apprehension and bewilderment when she's thrust into a world that is totally alien to her. She suddenly feels lost and lonely - like a captive in a gilded cage - restricted by society's conventions. I love her little acts of rebellion, particularly when she slides down the bannister to find Henry standing at the bottom!

Henry's just the sort of emotionally tormented hero that I love. Bitter memories of his wife's betrayal have left him a cold, cynical man who no longer believes in love. Honour and duty are the things that truly matter to him. It's these qualities that drive him to ensure Margery claims her true inheritance although it means sacrificing Templemore which he loves so much. Henry is totally captivated by Margery and I enjoyed watching his struggle to come to terms with these unwanted feelings and I loved him for wanting to defend Margery against the slights and snobbery of the ton and protect her from danger.

These two have an amazing chemistry and even their sarcastic banter seems infused with a sexual undercurrent.Every scene just sizzles with sexual tension but my absolute favourite is the 'jewellery trying on’ scene. PHEW! Talk about being sexually charged! Ms Cornick’s love scenes are always passionate and sensual.

There’s an intriguing cast of secondary characters, including those ‘Scandalous Women’ and their husbands, who definitely add some interesting twists to the story. The mystery surrounding Margery’s mother’s murder and the attempts on Margery’s own life really held my interest and there is a shocking denouement I never expected.

With complex characters, witty dialogue, sexual tension, suspense, passion and romance, this book has everything for lovers of Historical Romance.

RATING: ★★★★½

Review also posted on http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Forbidden ของนิโคลา คอร์นิก

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มที่หก และคิดว่าน่าจะเป็นเล่มสุดท้ายในชุด (แต่มีเรื่องสั้นต่อจากเรื่องนี้ลงให้อ่านฟรีในเว็บไซด์ของคนแต่งนะคะ) เรื่องราวของหญิงสาวผู้อื้อฉาวในวงสังคม หรือชื่อชุดว่า The Scandalous Women of the Ton ซึ่งแต่ละเล่มจะเป็นเรื่องของหญิงสาวได้ทำอะไรบางอย่างซึ่งเป็นการแหกกฎของสังคม

มาร์เจอรี มอลลอนไม่ได้เป็นคนในวงสังคมด้วยซ้ำ เธอเป็นหญิงรับใช้ของเลดี้แกรนท์ (นางเอกเล่มแรกในชุด Whisper of Scandal) แต่มาร์เจอรีก็มีความฝัน เธอชอบทำขนม และสิ่งที่เธอต้องการมากที่สุดก็...more Forbidden ของนิโคลา คอร์นิก

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มที่หก และคิดว่าน่าจะเป็นเล่มสุดท้ายในชุด (แต่มีเรื่องสั้นต่อจากเรื่องนี้ลงให้อ่านฟรีในเว็บไซด์ของคนแต่งนะคะ) เรื่องราวของหญิงสาวผู้อื้อฉาวในวงสังคม หรือชื่อชุดว่า The Scandalous Women of the Ton ซึ่งแต่ละเล่มจะเป็นเรื่องของหญิงสาวได้ทำอะไรบางอย่างซึ่งเป็นการแหกกฎของสังคม

มาร์เจอรี มอลลอนไม่ได้เป็นคนในวงสังคมด้วยซ้ำ เธอเป็นหญิงรับใช้ของเลดี้แกรนท์ (นางเอกเล่มแรกในชุด Whisper of Scandal) แต่มาร์เจอรีก็มีความฝัน เธอชอบทำขนม และสิ่งที่เธอต้องการมากที่สุดก็คือการเปิดร้านขายขนมเล็ก ๆ สักแห่งนึง แต่การทำงานเป็นคนรับใช้ส่วนตัวของสุภาพสตรีในวงสังคม แม้มาร์เจอรีจะอยู่ในระดับต้น ๆ ของกลุ่มคนรับใช้ เธอก็เป็นแค่คนใช้ หญิงสาวพยายามหารายได้พิเศษ ด้วยการทำขนมไปแลกกับเสื้อผ้าเก่า ๆ ในซ่องชั้นสูง ซึ่งที่นั่นเป็นครั้งแรกที่เธอได้พบกับเฮนรี วาร์ด

ถ้าเพียงแต่เขาเป็นแค่เฮนรี วาร์ด แต่นั่นไม่ใช่ตัวตนทั้งหมดของเขา เขายังเป็นลอร์ดวูดโดรซ์ ทายาทของเอิร์ลแห่งเทมเพิลมอร์ สถานะที่เฮนรีกำลังจะเสียไป เพราะหลังจากหายตัวไปหลายปี ในที่สุดเอิร์ลแห่งเทมเพิลมอร์ก็ตามหาตัวหลานสาวของเขาเจอแล้ว

เลดี้มาร์เกอริต เทมเพิลมอร์ ในวัยสี่ขวบ หายไปหลังจากเหตุการณ์ที่มารดาของเธอถูกฆ่าโดยโจรทางหลวงจนกระทั่งเบาะแสใหม่นำทางมาจนถึงมาร์เจอรี มอลลอน

เฮนรีได้รับมอบหมายให้ตามตัวทายาทสาวคนนี้ให้เจอ เขาแอบไปพบกับมาร์เจอรีโดยไม่บอกตัวตนที่จริงของตัวเองให้เธอรู้ เพราะลองใจว่า หญิงสาวคนนี้มีศีลธรรมมากน้อยเพียงใด เพราะแม้เฮนรีจะต้องสูญเสียทุกอย่างหากหาตัวเลดี้มาร์เกอริตเจอ เขาก็มีเกียรติพอที่จะทำให้แน่ใจว่า หญิงสาวคนที่กำลังจะกลับคืนสู่ตระกูลเทมเพิลมอร์นั้นไม่ใช่คนเลว ซึ่งมาร์เจอรีก็สอบผ่านทุกครั้งในแบบทดสอบของเฮนรี

สิ่งที่เขาไม่ได้คาดคิดก็คือ การได้พบกับมาร์เจอรีจะปลุกหัวใจของเขาให้ตื่นขึ้นมาอีกครั้ง หลังจากที่เจ็บช้ำไปกับการกระทำของอดีตภรรยา แต่มาร์เจอรีกำลังจะกลายเป็นเลดี้มาร์เกอริต เป็นทายาทสาวผู้ร่ำรวยที่สุดในวงสังคม ในขณะที่เขากำลังสูญเสียทุกอย่างไป เหลือก็แค่บ้านหลังเล็ก ๆ โทรม ๆ ในชนบท เฮนรีไม่อยากได้ชื่อว่า แต่งงานเพื่อเงิน ดังนั้นแม้จะรู้สึกว่ามาร์เจอรีพิเศษเหนือกว่าผู้หญิงทุกคนที่ได้พบมา เฮนรีก็พยายามปฏิเสธตัวเอง

พล็อตเรื่องนี้เป็นแนวซินเดอเรลลามาก นางเอกจากสาวใช้กลายเป็นเลดี้ ทำให้เธอต้องปรับตัวมากมาย เพราะมาร์เจอรีพอใจในชีวิตที่ตัวเองเป็น เธอมีความหวัง ความฝัน ไม่ได้ต้องการที่จะขยับฐานะขึ้นมาด้วยเรื่องแบบนี้ นางเอกน่ารัก มีความคิด แม้กระทั่งในช่วงที่เธอสับสน ไม่รู้ว่าควรจะวางตัวเช่นไร แก่นของความเป็นมาร์เจอรีก็ไม่ได้ถูกเลดี้มาร์เกอริตกลืนหายไป

ฉากเปิดตัวพระเอกเท่ห์มาก ทำให้เราอ่านติดหนึบ แต่พอเรื่องดำเนินไปเรื่อย ๆ เฮนรีก็ลดความน่าสนใจลง เขาไม่ได้เย็นชาอย่างเห็นในบทนำ ซึ่งอาจจะเป็นเรื่องดีก็ได้นะคะ แต่เรารู้สึกเหมือนโดนหลอกเล็ก ๆ เพราะคาดหวังพระเอกคาแร็คเตอร์แบบนั้นเอาไว้ พอเรื่องดำเนินไปกลับไม่ได้เป็นแบบนั้น ก็เลยเซ็งเล็กน้อย แต่โดยรวมเฮนรีก็เป็นผู้ชายที่มีเกียรติ แม้จะรู้ว่า ต้องสูญเสียทุกอย่างหากหาตัวทายาทเจอ เขาก็ไม่เคยคิดที่จะไม่ทำตามหน้าที่ของตัวเอง

บทสรุปง่ายไปเกินเหตุ (สปอยล์) จู่ ๆ นางเอกก็นึกหน้าตาคนร้ายออก (ทั้งที่ตอนเกิดเรื่องอายุแค่สี่ขวบ มีใครจำอะไรตอนสี่ขวบได้ไหมบ้าง นางเอกเรื่องนี้จำได้เยอะมาก) แล้วคนร้ายอีกคนก็สติแตกสารภาพออกมาเอง ทำให้พล็อตส่วนนี้ไม่น่าสนใจเอาเลย แล้วยังเหตุการณ์ที่นำมาซึ่งการหมั้นหมายของพระเอกนางเอกอีก ไม่ชอบเลยค่ะที่เรื่องมาแนวนี้ เราอยากให้พระเอกง้อมากกว่านี้ (พระเอกคิดได้แล้วว่า รักนางเอก และอยากแต่งงานจริง ๆ) แต่เรื่องก็ดันสร้างสถานการณ์ในนางเอกจำเป็นต้องแต่ง

เรื่องนี้อ่านได้สบาย ๆ แบบไม่ต้องคิดมาก เรื่องค่อนข้างหวานแนวพาฝัน แต่ไม่เลี่ยน หรือเว่อร์ (ถ้าไม่คิดว่า การที่จู่ ๆ สาวใช้ในหนังสือห้าเล่มแรกกลายเป็นทายาทท่านเอิร์ลได้)

คะแนนที่ 63 (less)

like · see review

May 21, 2013 Cerise rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Meh. I've read better romances and I've read worse. The relationship between Margery and Henry was well-done, although that sort of instant attraction tends to fizzle out when the author throws a bunch of contrivances to separate the two leads. This book is no different, and I found myself skimming through the middle to get to the (relatively silly) conclusion.

My big issue when reading romances is that names or themes that feel wrong or overly contrived tend to leap off the page and it ruins the...more

like · see review

Jan 15, 2013 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the last book of `Scandalous Women of the Ton Series' and I am so glad that Ms. Cornick has offered it to her fans in full, rather than a little novella. This heroine deserved her own adventure and happily-ever-after.

Margery Mallon is a young woman who values her family even though all are earning their money by questionable means. Growing up a Mallon meant knowing how to squeeze that last penny out of every transaction made. But what she dreamed of was maybe, just maybe one day she migh...more This is the last book of `Scandalous Women of the Ton Series' and I am so glad that Ms. Cornick has offered it to her fans in full, rather than a little novella. This heroine deserved her own adventure and happily-ever-after.

Margery Mallon is a young woman who values her family even though all are earning their money by questionable means. Growing up a Mallon meant knowing how to squeeze that last penny out of every transaction made. But what she dreamed of was maybe, just maybe one day she might save enough money to open up her very own patisserie. She was in her element when baking and people around her loved to eat everything she baked.

Henry Atticus, Lord Wardeaux has been brought up since an early age to be ready to one day take on the title and all the riches that go with being Lord Tempelmore. However, the current Lord Tempelmore and his Godfather, has never given up on looking for his long lost granddaughter Marguerite Catherine Rose Saint-Pierre who disappeared many years ago and was the witness to her mother's murder.
This story of rags to riches is nothing like Cinderella! This is so much better!

I enjoyed this story so much despite the predictability of it. Ms. Cornick is such a great story teller. She delves into so many facets of one's character, that I came to like even the villain. Go figure!

The hero in this book is truly what one should be; a man who's principled, passionate and kind, honorable and too sexy for his own good. I mean, here's the man that stands to lose so much by this heiress, if she's found, and he's the one leading the search because he knows it's the right thing to do. Once he finds her, convinces her of her identity and gets to really know her, he has a very hard time not falling in love with her.

The heroine must have been a hoot to wright. She is such a complex woman; innocent one moment and beguiling the next. For someone that has always been on the out looking in, she had a hard time believing the truth of who she really is. Watching her maneuvering and trying to reconcile a woman who is with the woman who now she should be, was as much fun as heartbreaking.

Everything in this tale is perfectly well written and there's no way these two will not become one of your best hero and heroine. Ms. Cornick is great at plotting, pacing and giving us characters we'll love to talk about for years to come. This story definitely gets my Five Quills for its characterization, the sweet, tender and sensual romance and for bringing back all the scandalous ladies of the ton. That's what I call closing a series with a bang! Now I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book and the series from this talented author.

Melanie for Romantic Crush Junkies Reviews eZine.(less)

like · see review

Dec 14, 2012 Laura Ashlee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, romance

I was so excited when I realized Forbidden was part of the Scandalous Women of the Ton series. I’ve read them all and loved every single one. They make up my favorite Regency romances. I had not expected another book, but I think it perfectly lives up to the rest in the series.

Margery’s story is quite different from most of the women’s tales. She’s spent her life in poverty and working as a lady’s maid. When she finds out about her inheritance, it’s a shock and she finds it difficult to make the...more

like · see review

Aug 27, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the kind of rags to riches stories that is fun to read. There is a pretty lady a strong man, and 2 families 1 aristocratic and 1 of thieves. Margery Mallon is a lovely character I like that she is strong, knows what she likes and isn't afraid to do what she wants even if its something that society frowns upon. But Margery was raised at a commoner, with a pretty good sense of whats right. I love how Margery interacts with people of all stations, she isn't afraid to talk to the staff and s...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In previous works by this author (which I now want to catch up on), Margery Mallon has served as lady’s maid to several of the more notorious ladies of the ton. These days Margery is happily ensconced in a respectable home, with a friendly employer and the opportunity to borrow the kitchen to indulge her passion for baking.

Of course, said respectable employer isn’t really aware that her lady’s maid is selling her sweets in the back rooms of whorehouses, but who doesn’t have a secret or two? In t...more

like · see review

Jul 16, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

My full review here.

This is spoiler-ish, so tread with caution.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would easily recommend it.

By the end, I was heavily invested in Henry and Margery as well as their relationship. I am not sure at what point that investment happened. The banter between the characters was fun from the get-go, their push/pull, up/down relationship believable.

I did question Henry’s easy acceptance of his fate and the gigantic shift that was going to take place in his life because Marger...more

like · see review

Jul 10, 2012 Farrah rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Not exactly what I expected...but not in a bad way.

Forbidden has an interesting idea. A maid turned heiress? That's a new one, one that I could definitely go for. It doesn't mention it in the summary, but I feel like I should say that Margery learns about her inheritance pretty soon in. The book is less about Henry trying to tell Margery and more about Margery learning how to navigate her way through life as a Countes...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Not exactly what I expected...but not in a bad way.

Forbidden has an interesting idea. A maid turned heiress? That's a new one, one that I could definitely go for. It doesn't mention it in the summary, but I feel like I should say that Margery learns about her inheritance pretty soon in. The book is less about Henry trying to tell Margery and more about Margery learning how to navigate her way through life as a Countess.

And that brings us to that lovely character. I admired Margery. Her entire life was turned upside down, but she was strong and got through it, including all the nasty gossip. One thing I don't understand is why she was initially reluctant to leave her life as a maid. If I was in her place I would have jumped at the new life in a heartbeat. I can understand, to an extent. I know she would be leaving her entire life behind, but it struck me as kind of unrealistic that someone one balk at the opportunity to be the wealthiest heiress in all of England. My one other problem with her is her reaction to Henry when she finds out. Before she finds out, she is sweet and nice to him. But after, she suddenly finds every opportunity to hate him. It didn't make sense to me that the kind woman from the beginning turned into the resentful shrew later. I get that she would be a little angry, but I didn't understand why she flew into a massive temper and didn't let it go until very near the end. This is not to say I didn't like her character, despite what it sounds like. I liked her, but I had a few problems with her. And I wanted to shake some sense into her a few times.

So, now about Henry. He's a complicated character. He was the heir to the earldom until Margery was found to be the rightful heiress. You'd think that would make him bitter towards her. Nope. He backed away with dignity. That was enough to make me like him immediately. He tries to always be cold and distant to avoid heartbreak, but that never made me dislike him. I mean, he had good reason to be cautious. His relationship with Margery was...explosive, to say the least. Every moment, whether their hopping on each other, talking, or arguing, is filled with tension and sparks. There was passion from the minute they met. I really have to applaud the author for doing such a good job in creating that feeling. Whenever those two were together, sparks were flying. It made things interesting :)

The story is well done. It starts off immediately and takes off at a steady pace. There is one hell of a plot twist towards the end, one that I never saw coming. The plot as a whole was interesting throughout, no dull moments.

Forbidden is a wonderful book. Passion, secrets, surprises. Fun, right?

4/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 07, 2012 Vivian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, regency, cliche, regret-reading, rakes-and-gentleman

★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5stars) ARC provided by NetGalley. Thank you!

I'm going to bluntly say that this book was full of overused tropes and were just used horribly. Sometimes overused tropes can be twisted into a clever and delightful way but sadly, Cornick failed to do this. This was me the whole novel.

1. The "I can't marry to someone that I love." male protagonist

Please. I have seen this so many times in Regency books... but for a good reason, of course. It fits the setting and time. Love wasn't a thing...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 Victoria Nixon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I loved the characters in this book! Margery aka Lady Marguerite Catherine Rose Saint Pierre is an impressive example of the female gender. Although she has lived amongst the most scandalous members of the ton she has remained virtuous and determined and keeps her head held high and has great entrepreneurial spirit even though the prospect of ever opening her own confectionary shop seems bleak she is still hopeful and is happy with who she is no matter the difficulties she has faced in life. Hen...more I loved the characters in this book! Margery aka Lady Marguerite Catherine Rose Saint Pierre is an impressive example of the female gender. Although she has lived amongst the most scandalous members of the ton she has remained virtuous and determined and keeps her head held high and has great entrepreneurial spirit even though the prospect of ever opening her own confectionary shop seems bleak she is still hopeful and is happy with who she is no matter the difficulties she has faced in life. Henry aka Lord Wardeaux is such a tortured soul and his inner turmoil is described with great detail. Initially when first introduced to Henry I didn’t imagine him to be interesting or attractive but this was a good thing because as the story progressed I found him that much more alluring and complex. Their first encounter is precious and very Cinderella like and subsquentially their dinner together at the hoop and grapes was a very genuine moment between two people that are very into each other which makes the encounter immediately thereafter between Jem (Margery’s older brother) and Henry such an abrupt change to the mood but the mood picks right back up and is immediately super charged with passion in a garden when one would have thought that the altercation would have dumped cold water so to speak on their growing interests in each other. Of course, as expected they must part when passions have gone out of control.

From here the story unfolds and Margery learns of her relation to the Earl of Templemore and her new found inheritance and the immediate knowledge that she has been betrayed by Henry and that she is basically taking away his inheritance in which she wants no part of because she likes who she is (which up until this moment was Margery Mallon, Ladies maid and a confectioner) I couldn’t find it in my heart to feel sorry for her though and the conclusions in which she jumps to about Henry. Of course, that being said Henry doesn’t go out of his way to explain himself either. Now the newly found heir of Templemore - Lady Marguerite Catherine Rose Saint Pierre is whisked away to meet her grandfather and we learn that a man who is usually devoid of emotion is overcome by being reunited with his long lost granddaughter who was presumed dead for twenty years which only makes Henry hurt all the more because he is falling for Margery and has never seen the old Earl so happy. The emotion was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Around this time we are introduced to two more characters. Lady Wardeaux (Mother of Henry) and Lady Emily Templemore (Earl of Templemore’s half sister). Lady Wardeaux is a cold woman who bound and determine that her son keep the fortune he is owed and Lady Emily is as very strange woman, she is into the occult and tarot cards and seems much younger than she is said to be but we learn why she is such a strange individual as the story goes on and it all comes together.

All throughout the book there are deliciously scandalous moments. There is a point in the story when Margery tries on the Templemore jewels with Henry gazing upon her in the mirror and although they are in a large dining hall and barely obscured from the rest of the family it doesn’t stop things from getting very hot!! I would say more but I wouldn’t want to ruin this part for the reader.

The book tears at your heart strings and the ending wasn’t predictable like so many others I have read although I suspected one characters connection to her original disappearance as a young child the story came to a close with all of Margery’s friends coming to her rescue and the ending was more unexpected and so perfect. I LOVED this book! I will have to go back and read the whole series.
(less)

like · see review

Aug 26, 2012 Liza rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Forbidden from NetGalley. I actually found the Scandalous Women of the Ton series when the 5th book was released, and became a fan of Nicola Cornick with that book.

Margery has been a secondary character in each of the other books in the series and I was glad to see we were getting her story. Margery is actually Marguerite Catherine Rose Saint-Pierre, who was has been missing since the age of 4 when her mother was murdered. Her grandfather sends Henry to...more

like · see review

Aug 27, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars
Mallory is an honest, honorable and loyal ladies maid with a dream of one day opening her own confectioner's shop. She has no idea she is the long-lost heiress to the Templemore title. She was kidnapped as a child on the night her mother was murdered and her grandfather has been looking for her ever since.

If Mallory were never found, Henry would have inherited the estate. He is tasked to track her down and figure out if she truly is the missing Lady Marguerite. He ensconces himself into...more 3.5 Stars
Mallory is an honest, honorable and loyal ladies maid with a dream of one day opening her own confectioner's shop. She has no idea she is the long-lost heiress to the Templemore title. She was kidnapped as a child on the night her mother was murdered and her grandfather has been looking for her ever since.

If Mallory were never found, Henry would have inherited the estate. He is tasked to track her down and figure out if she truly is the missing Lady Marguerite. He ensconces himself into her life to better judge her character. Henry is taken with Mallory right away... and she can't believe this wealthy gentleman would want anything to do with her. A walk together, a dance, and a few feverish kisses later, she finds out the truth of who Henry is and why he is there. She feels angry and betrayed and vows never to be so foolish again.

Of course, it's not so easy to get away from Henry. He is her grandfather's godson and he goes with her meet the old man and become part of the family. It's a difficult transition from maid to heiress, and although she has tender feelings for her grandfather, it's really Henry who makes her feel alive in her new surroundings. The anger she has for him makes their interactions even more incendiary. There is passion between them... flirtation and banter... and fear.

Henry is determined never to fall in love again. A horrible first marriage cured him of any romantic illusions about matrimony. The thing is, Mallory refuses to marry without love. So as she begins to fall for him, he isn't able to give her what she really needs for a future.

I liked Henry. He's almost too good to be true in that he is willing to give up the inheritance he would have gotten to do the right thing by Mallory. This, even before he knew her. He's got some emotional baggage, but it doesn't make him cruel, just... closed off at times. Mallory is sweet and genuine and--it turns out-- quite passionate. The sexual tension and the love scene between her and Henry were very, very good.

I didn't love that they were pushed into a relationship decision by external circumstances late in the book. I also think I would have liked more loose ends tied up with Mallory's father. But overall, I enjoyed the story. There's a small mystery/danger side arc that managed to surprise me before all was said and done. And I liked the romance.

This is book six in the Scandalous Women of the Ton series. Mallory has been a recurring character in previous books, but this can be read easily as a standalone.

Rating: B-

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 27, 2012 Funmbi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, historical-romance-erotica

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm so pleased to have received a ARC of Forbidden from the publisher (via NetGalley). I'm a huge fan of historical romance, especially one's set in England's Regency Era. This book does not disappoint! There's so much intrigue, romance, mystery...I was hooked from the prologue! I started reading right around midnight last night and couldn't put it down...I ended up finishing Forbidden at 1pm today. This was a sensationally delicious read, which I gladly give 4.5 stars.

We begin with Margery, a 2...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 26, 2012 Arlena added it

Shelves: 5-stars, adult-read, ebooks, my-reviews, romance

Author: Nicola Cornick
Published By: Harlequin HQN
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 4

Review:

"Forbidden" by Nicola Cornick was a good historical romance that I enjoyed. Forbidden" was the last book in the Scandalous Women of the Ton. This novel was definitely on that would draw you into the world of England complete with heirs, heiresses, lords, ladies and let's not leave out the heroes, heroines with all of its romantic fever. This particular novel was of Margery...more

like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent sixth novel in the Scandalous Ladies of the Ton series and one that I continue to enjoy--even going back and re-reading some of the earlier books. Beautifully written by an author who seems to be able to keep the sense of the whole while brings several story strands together to form a lovely literary tapestry for the enjoyment of those who really like historical romance. And as has been the case throughout this series, this latest heroine is a woman least expected to become the richest...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 29, 2012 Annmarie (World of Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review: Haven't read Historical Romance like this is a while. I was pleasantly surprised by Forbidden and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

"For a little while" she said, "when I first came to Templemore, I did not know who I was, who I had become."

Margery is one stubborn lady. Despite being a servant, Margery has a lot of pride and I loved that she's such a strong, independent women. She really goes through a lot of obstacles and her life changes drastically throughout the book....more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 25, 2012 Kat ~ Forever Book Lover ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, historical, netgalley

You can find this review and more at Forever Book Lover.
From rags to riches, from servant to Cinderella, who wouldn't want to go to bed one day being a maid and wake up the next being to wealth and a title!! My childhood dream came to life in this book.

What I loved about our heroine, Margery is that she simple didn't want the title, the money, she wanted things to stay status quot. She wanted to save her hard earned money and maybe open up her own confection business. But what she wanted and wha...more

like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Bree T rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, series

Margery has been a maid to some of the most scandalous ladies in the Ton. She likes to try and supplement her income by making and selling sweetmeat treats to ladies of the brothels so there’s not a lot that can really shock her. She has no real desire to marry or even move up in service as they tell her she could be housekeeper one day. What she really wants is enough money to open her own shop and to bake the treats that make her so happy.

Despite the company she sometimes keeps, Margery hersel...more Margery has been a maid to some of the most scandalous ladies in the Ton. She likes to try and supplement her income by making and selling sweetmeat treats to ladies of the brothels so there’s not a lot that can really shock her. She has no real desire to marry or even move up in service as they tell her she could be housekeeper one day. What she really wants is enough money to open her own shop and to bake the treats that make her so happy.

Despite the company she sometimes keeps, Margery herself is chaste and hasn’t had any romantic attachments. When a dark stranger names Mr Ward stumbles across her in a brothel, she is quick to assure him that no, she does not work there. She can’t deny that she’s attracted to him though and he makes her forget all the rules of propriety.

Henry Wardeaux isn’t exactly who Margery thinks he is. He’s a Lord and until the discovery of Margery, living in London, he was the heir to the Earl of Templemore’s vast fortune. But the Earl lost a granddaughter many years ago when the robbery of his daughter went wrong – his daughter was killed and his little 4yo granddaughter disappeared, not seen again. Now the men that the Earl has had working on the case for years think that they just might have found her – Margery. Henry has gone to London to see if he can get to know her and get the proof that the Earl needs once and for all on whether or not his granddaughter is still alive. The Templemore estate is one of the very few that can be inherited down the female line – if Margery is his granddaughter, then she is the rightful heiress, not Henry.

Margery cannot believe it when she finds out that the dark and handsome Henry Ward is actually Lord Wardeaux and he’s here to tell her that she’s actually the granddaughter of an Earl and heiress to a fortune beyond all her imagining. Eventually she must accept the truth but she does not find her new life easy to adjust to. There are so many rules and regulations and people to frown at things she does and says. Even harder to negotiate are her feelings for Henry – as the former heir, she assumes that he might resent her for displacing him, but it seems he doesn’t. He also makes his feelings quite clear that he will not marry her as he is no fortune hunter, to live on the income of his wife. Many others have no such qualms though and although the Ton are bemused by her new status, it doesn’t stop the gentlemen calling, seeking to be united with her fortune.

But Margery only has eyes for Henry….

Forbidden is the 6th novel in the Scandalous Women of the Ton series by Nicola Cornick. It’s the first in the series that I’ve read, but each novel is about a different couple although there are characters that do recur, in lesser roles in books after their ‘main’ story. In this installment we focus on Margery, a young ladies maid who is adopted. She has three brothers, most of whom are engaged in activities that might delve into the dubious category but whom she loves anyway. She has been a maid for some ladies who have truly invoked some scandal amongst the Ton and that, combined with the fact that she regularly visits brothels to sell the women her baked treats means that nothing much shocks her. She’s sensible, down to earth and honest, wishing to only have enough money one day in order to open her own bakery.

I really liked Margery and I also liked that Cornick really kept her core character the same even after Margery discovered that she was really the heiress of Templemore. She didn’t exactly embrace her newfound wealth, being horrified at the cost of gowns and the amount that it was deemed she needed and she often slipped up by doing things like trying to clear up plates and cups from taking tea. Even when corrected in her behaviour, she didn’t really seem to care all that much, continuing on her way, her thinking almost like “well I’m now rich enough to be the same person I’ve always been and pass it off as being ‘eccentric’”. I really found her believable in her slow adjustment to her new surroundings.

I liked Henry although at times I questioned his motivation on certain decisions. It’s very obvious from early on that he’s utterly taken by Margery even though at first he states that he will not marry her at all, even though it would be very convenient for him in a lot of ways. He was the heir to the fortune before the discovery of Margery’s true identity and he is very attracted to her. Henry was a soldier, very disciplined and he’s still stinging at a betrayal by a woman in his past which really colours the way in which he attempts to have a relationship with Margery. He knows she wants to marry for love, but he refuses to ever do that so he thinks he can offer her something less. But Margery is strong willed (and now she’s rich) so she has absolutely no need to settle. She wants it all and Henry better understand that!

Forbidden is a deliciously fun historical romance populated with some seriously likable characters. I’m determined to find the time to go back and read the earlier novels in the series now because I think, just from the snippets about the earlier pairings in this book, that there’s some truly great stories to be had.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 02, 2012 Rae M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, ebook, historical-romance, historical-fiction, regency-romance, read-in-2012, adult-fiction, female-authors, tortured-hero, cliched-up-the-yinyang, 03-stars, review-or-comment

This is the sixth book in a series, but no previous knowledge is required.

This was a bit hard to rate. On one hand, I felt the erotica was well written, on the other hand, several times a chapter I found myself cringing at sentences and squirming in secondhand embarrassment, which I think is derived from once again explaining far, far too much. A reader can infer a lot, and it's a lot less jarring to just allow them to.

It's also horribly cliched, all of it. The plot, the unsuspecting heiress,...more

like · see review

Sep 23, 2012 Katrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Scandalous Woman of the Ton is a series I will never tire of. I find myself reading these books in almost one sitting , so engrossed in the world of the Ton and the Rakes, gentleman and ladies in this era, - It’s like I’m looking through a looking glass I can picture everything. The gowns, the men - the surroundings. If I could time travel and spend one day anywhere it would certainly be as A Scandalous Woman from the Ton ;)

I must say finding out that maybe this is the last in the series is...more

like · see review

Feb 17, 2013 Elis Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: character-development, era-regency, hero-damaged, he-loves-me-she-loves-me-not, hidden-identities, like-the-author, mean-people, nice-twist, use-your-words, upstairs-downstairs, a-bit-of-mystery

The Templemore Earldom is one of those rare titles that can, in the absence of male heirs, pass to the next female in line (of course she'd be a countess rather than an Earl). The current earl had a daughter who was killed some 20 years ago, and his little granddaughter vanished the same day. In the absence of the earl’s granddaughter, Henry W is the next in line, and he has been raised since he was about 10 to take over the earldom. He loves Templemore, but he is an honorable man. So when it se...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, romance

As the perennially awkward girl, I adore reading triumphant stories of other awkward girls, the wallflowers, the spinsters, the not-quite-perfectly-attractive girls. I particularly love stories about girls who are on the outside, who really do not belong, and Margery’s story is one of those. In the beginning of the story, Margery’s life is well-ordered and fulfilling, and then she is thrust into a role she would never have chosen for herself, and she must make the best of it. Margery is smart en...more As the perennially awkward girl, I adore reading triumphant stories of other awkward girls, the wallflowers, the spinsters, the not-quite-perfectly-attractive girls. I particularly love stories about girls who are on the outside, who really do not belong, and Margery’s story is one of those. In the beginning of the story, Margery’s life is well-ordered and fulfilling, and then she is thrust into a role she would never have chosen for herself, and she must make the best of it. Margery is smart enough to know that she will never be accepted as she is and to know that there is no value in attempting to be anything else. Out of love for her newly-discovered grandfather, she makes an attempt to be socially acceptable, but she has no delusions about herself, and I enjoyed her frankness and down-to-earth intelligence. As far as female characters go, she’s perfect – an odd, but enjoyable, blend of Anne Eliot and Catherine Moreland, to put her in Jane Austen parlance – and I was a little bit sad when the story was over because I didn’t want to leave my new book friend.

Henry is also an excellent character, which is really quite amazing considering he was saddled with the often-disastrous romance hero trope: he’s been burned by love, and now he wants nothing to do with it. In the hands of Nicola Cornick, however, Henry is everything one would expect–brooding, untrusting, and a bit cold–but also so much more. In a way, Henry and Margery act as foils for each other. Where Margery has decided that she cannot be anything other than she is, Henry is constantly at war with himself, stifling his passions and emotions and pursuing the cold and lonely path of duty. Margery’s character develops as she responds to the plot points in the book – she discovers she’s a long-lost countess and heiress and deals with the ramifications of that discovery; she is thrown in with Henry and falls in love with him, and she deals with the emotional ramifications of that. By contrast, Henry’s character develops in a well-crafted arc as he learns how to reconcile the past, how to forgive himself for his follies and heal, how to be himself after all these years; his is an internal journey, and it is fascinating to read. In Jane Austen terms, Henry is a blend of Henry Tilney, Edmund Bertram, and Frederick Wentworth.

Bottom line: Forbidden is a wonderful and beautifully-written story with action, intrigue, unexpected villainy, richly developed characters, and interesting secondary characters (Henry’s mother is delightfully awful… very Aunt Norris, I think). I had a difficult time putting the book down, and it left me wanting more when it was over.

I received an advance, uncorrected proof, so I assume that some of the few funny little errors that I noticed will have been cleaned up in the published version.(less)

like · see review

Nov 01, 2012 Marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fun read althought the beginning was a bit strange, was not sure of the intent of Henry. He was more outgoing at first, then changed into a quiet introscpective man with little to say. The sex scenes were hot, as usual Ms Cornick sizzles in her beleivable sexual passages.
I enjoyed having all the Sccandalous ladies of the Ton back together, and learned all were "enciente" except Lottie and Joanna, Ethan Ryder's wife (Lord Severin) and Alex Grant's wife. But Joanna has already had a baby. I thou...more

like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 D.C. rated it 4 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Scandal isn't just for rogues, as the daring women in USA TODAY bestselling author Nicola Cornick's scintillating new series prove.... As maid to some of the most wanton ladies of the ton, Margery Mallon lives within the boundaries of any sensible servant. Entanglements with gentlemen are taboo. Wild adventures are for the Gothic novels she secretly reads. Then an intriguing stranger named Mr. Ward offers her a taste of passion, and suddenly the wicked possibilities are too tempti...more

like · see review

Sep 18, 2012 Alexa Yupangco rated it 3 of 5 stars

(Review originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)

I’ve always drawn comfort from reading historical romances. Forbidden drew me back into the world of Regency England, complete with lords and ladies, heirs and heiresses, and, of course, dashing heroes, quirky heroines and their romantic escapades.

When you read romances as often as I do, it’s fairly certain that plotlines are going to be very similar to one another. What truly makes a story stand out is if it has characters that you fall in love wi...more

like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Lauren Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance

Forbidden is the sixth installment of Nicola Cornicks’ The Scandalous Women of the Ton series. In forbidden a new hero and heroine are introduced though characters leading in prior books do make appearances. This is the third book in the series I have read and I’m so glad I picked up Desired and Forbidden after not particularly enjoying the characters in Notorious.

Margery Mallon is a sensible lady’s maid who is relatively inexperienced with men, despite visiting the local brothel to deliver her...more Forbidden is the sixth installment of Nicola Cornicks’ The Scandalous Women of the Ton series. In forbidden a new hero and heroine are introduced though characters leading in prior books do make appearances. This is the third book in the series I have read and I’m so glad I picked up Desired and Forbidden after not particularly enjoying the characters in Notorious.

Margery Mallon is a sensible lady’s maid who is relatively inexperienced with men, despite visiting the local brothel to deliver her token homemade sweets to the working gals. So when Henry Ward walks into her lascivious workplace and kisses her into oblivion she isn’t the only one surprised by her sexual curiosity and lust. Several heated encounters later and Margery begins to really like and trust this mystery man.

But when her handsome Henry Ward is re-introduced as Henry “Lord” Wardeaux a nobleman who has come to deliver the news of her true identity- the deceit infuriates Margery. She discovers she was kidnapped as a child and is actually the long lost granddaughter of the proprietor of Templemore. In a moment she goes from a maid to the richest heiress in the county. She is to inherit the wealth and properties from her grandfather, a legacy that befell to Henry prior to Margery’s discovery. Convinced that Henry tried to seduce her to defame her and steal her inheritance, Margery intends to never trust the conniving Henry ever again. However, she doesn’t count on the strong sexual chemistry and her personal desires to get in the way of her plans.
Despite herself, she finds herself falling in love with the man who gave up on love a long time ago. Of course, both are aware that they could solve both their problems by marrying- Margery could explore intimacy without impairing her reputation and Henry wouldn’t have to leave Templemore. The problem is, Margery refuses to marry without love and Henry refuses to marry for love.

Initially, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to like Margery and Henry. I thought it was a bit out of character for Margery to have a fling with Henry, someone she hardly knew. It also seemed out of character for Henry who normally so controlled, could succumb to his lust for Margery when he was supposed to be confirming her identity. But as the character’s personalities and fears began to emerge I really quite liked Henry and Margery. Their physical attraction made more sense as the characters evolved and I was quite happy with how the issues were resolved.

I really love this series and I intend to seek out the earlier titles. Cornick’s Ton series is packed with sweet and sexy romance with multidimensional characters. I really recommend her books to historical romance fans.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 24, 2012 Nana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finally, I can read any other historical romance novels besides Julia Quinn's that I really enjoy. Nicola Cornick really has a great writing skill and I love reading every part of this book. This book, of course, has so many hot scenes, but besides that, it also has a big mystery to be solved. Who killed Margery's mom? Was that her dad? or any other person? And what was this person wants now after Margery came back? Is he/she trying to kill Margery or just threatening her? This is the question t...more

like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Jo (My House of Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not certain of the actual likelihood of such a Cinderella-esque story, but it was very entertaining to see Margery Mallon accept her new life as Lady Marguerite. We've been introduced to Margery, though only in passing, in several of the previous Scandalous Ladies of the Ton books, so I was glad to learn more of her here in this unusual and probably far-fetched scenario.

Several instances surprised me, but particularly Henry's instant attraction to Margery despite his insistence (to himself)...more

like · see review

Apr 09, 2013 Cecilia Fontenelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic! I am so sorry Ms Cornick has completed this series. I'll just have to revisit the whole series in one go very soon. Once again we have been treated to a well developed story with believable characters in credible situations. The basic assumptions of the series and its world have been maintained throughout the series and are maintained from book to book coming to fruition in this final chapter.

A well deserved 5 stars. Bravo!

like · see review

title link	preview: Forbidden
avg rating	preview: Forbidden Goodreads rating: 3.66 (167 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547947-forbidden?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339550887l/13547947.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547947-forbidden?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Forbidden by Nicola Cornick[/url]

Forbidden (The Scandalous Women of the Ton #6)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Nicola Cornick

Books by Nicola Cornick

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Forbidden