Forbidden by Jacquelyn Frank
Review by Kelsey O.
Docia Waverly’s life is about to change. After being hit by a speeding van she hovers in the Ether and is given a choice. She can live but with consequences or she can die and leave her brother Jackson who has raised her since she was 5 alone. The choice was pretty easy for Docia.
After coming home from the hospital she realizes that the van that hit her wasn’t an accident and the people that want her dead are still gunning for her. Enter the very sexy Ram to her rescue. Of course Docia has no idea who this over muscled goliath is but there is a voice in her head telling her it is safe.
Ram and his friends are here to help Docia accept the other voice in her head that is actually going to be cohabiting with Docia. Unfortunately, who they believe is inside Docia is their queen, Hatshepsut, and Ram knows that his attraction to her can go no further. She belongs to their King, Menes, when he is finally reborn. But why does he feel so pulled towards her when in the many past lives he hasn’t. Also thrown in the mix is Docia’s overprotective cop brother, Jackson. His role plays out very well and the surprise that Frank throws in the end was unpredictable and amazing. I can’t wait to read the next installment.
And so this begins Frank’s spinoff to her Nightwalker series. We are introduced to Bodywalkers who are souls of Ancient Egyptians that ended up in what they call the Ether after being mummified. They found a way to rejoin the living by cohabiting with willing humans. This angered the God Ra who cursed them to only walk at night. The Bodwalkers have enemies called Templar priests, who are Bodywalkers also but don’t want to cohabitate with their soul; they want dominate them and the human race. They also want to bring down Menes and Hatshepsut.
Loved the love story between Docia and Ram and the twist that is thrown in that explains why they have such an instant attraction to each other. When they finally decide to just go for it, it is explosive and tastefully done. Another aspect that I loved was the character of Leo, who has been kind of a protector of Docia and Jackson since they were young. He is kind of the anti-Jackson. Whereas Jackson has to obey the law being a cop and all, Leo uses less conventional ways of finding out information. I am wondering where Frank will be going with him since he just kind of disappears at the end.
I really enjoyed this first book in Frank’s new series. The world she has created is interesting and I know will never get dull. I love Ancient Egyptian themed fantasies so this one fit the bill perfect. It had just the right intensity to keep the reader turning the pages and enough twists to make sure we anticipate the next book. Loyal Jacquelyn Frank readers will not be disappointed.
Rating: 5 BUTTERFLIES
