If you've read Ann Aguirre's Corine Solomon series then you've met Shannon and Jesse. If you're like me, you've always wanted to know more about Shannon and the antique radio that she uses to tune into dead people. And you've wanted to know what happened between the time Corine cast the spell and when Jesse and Shannon got together. This novella gives you all that plus some smoking hot sex of the empathic-bond and control-games variety.

This can be read as book 3.5 of the Corine Solomon series. In the author's notes, Ann Aguirre mentions she might write more about Jesse and Shannon; I would love that!

[ARC] ( )

I really liked this book. I was nervous about jumping into a series at 3.5 but I didn't feel alienated from the story in any way. Jessie and Shannon were awesome characters with smokin' chemistry. I'd really like to be around when they recover their memories, I mean what can be so bad that demons would attack you? The worst thing I can say about this book is I disliked Shannon's nickname. As a Shannon myself I've always hated the name Shan, but that's just a personal nitpick. Overall this story was just plain good. 4 Stars ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Shannon Cheney is on a mission to find out what happened to her memory. If she can finally convince cop Jesse Saldana to hook up with her in the meantime, all the better…

Opening Sentence: The first thing you need to know about me is—I see dead people.

The Review:

I absolutely adore Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax series, but have not yet gotten around to reading her Corine Solomon series. As a result, I was a little nervous starting my experience with the series off with a novella that takes place after the first few books in the series, but I needn’t have worried. While I think I would have benefited from having read the series prior to this novella, I still really enjoyed it, and it made me want to start the series sooner rather than later.

Shannon Cheney can communicate with the dead through the use of an antique radio. This doesn’t really help her pay the bills though, as the world is unaware of the existence of the Gifted. So, she’s currently having to pay the bills by working at the Pretzel Pirate in the mall, which is not anyone’s idea of a dream job. On top of that, she’s suffering from a severe case of memory loss. She has no idea what events led her here, and has no idea how to go about figuring out what happened. The only good thing in her life right now is cop Jesse Saldana, a man she is determined to seduce. As they attempt to figure out what caused the memory loss, their feelings for each other grow, and danger looms in the form of demonic attacks. Will they survive long enough to make their feelings known to each other?

I really enjoyed having Shannon as the narrator. She was sassy and funny, and her actions and voice seemed to fit my idea of a 19-year-old Goth girl. I had a little bit harder time connecting to Jesse, probably because we don’t get to see anything from his point of view since the novella has first person narration. That being said, he is extremely caring and supportive of Shannon and doesn’t treat her like she’s helpless. What more can you ask for in a hero?

Not having read previous books in the Corine Solomon series, I’m not sure if readers know what caused the memory loss, but my curiosity was definitely peaked. I would have preferred it if we could have gotten some answers, but I’m guessing the answers can be found in full-length books from the series. If Ann Aguirre’s purpose was to bring new readers to the Corine Solomon series, she definitely succeeded with me. This was a fast-paced, entertaining read that never had a dull moment. I’ll definitely be starting the series soon!

Notable Scene:

I stumble back a few steps and topple a display between us. The shattering glass slows her down long enough for me to pop open my backpack. Dodging between display racks, I weave away from her. Madness and malevolence radiate from her in smothering waves, and she’s eerily silent, just the rough gasps of a body unused to such physical exertion.

“Maybe we could talk things through,” I offer. “Get some counseling? I’m sure whatever it is I did to you, which I apparently don’t remember, I can make amends. How do you feel about macramé rugs?”

Her bony fist smashes through some stained-glass shelving, and her blood spatters me as I dive away. It smells faintly of rotten eggs.

“So that’s a no on arts and crafts?”

FTC Advisory: Ann Aquirre graciously provided me with a copy of Forbidden Fruit. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
allthingsuf.com

I have come to treasure novellas that offer a glimpse of familiar characters between the books. I’m less excited when these glimpses give me a behind the scenes of secondary characters. The May/ December romance between Shannon and Jesse piqued my curiosity enough to be excited for FORBIDDEN FRUIT, and my excitement is not mislaid.

Mentioning the age difference between the hero and heroine in this book is important, because a reader’s feelings towards this dynamic will most likely make or break their enjoyment of the story. Anyone who picks up this book icked out about a 19 year-old woman dating a guy ten years her senior isn’t going to find anything to change their mind, not in this story anyway. Shannon is a hilarious narrator, and I enjoyed this peek through her eyes. She is struggling with blank spots in her memory, though, which makes it hard to sell her relationship with Jesse based on this novella alone. For those of us who know the backstory, however, FORBIDDEN FRUIT offers a tantalizing glimpse behind the scenes. While I didn’t enjoy reading Jesse’s issues all over again (as a “recycled” romantic interest he’s already had his share of the spot light), knowing that this time around promises a happily-ever-after made it worthwhile.

Shannon brings out a sexy side of Jesse that I’ve never seen before and getting a glimpse of their relationship dynamic was thoroughly entertaining. For those looking for a little taste of the Corine Solomon world to tide them over, FORBIDDEN FRUITis a delicious treat well worth a read.

Sexual Content: Sex scenes. ( )