Series Review: Forbidden Men by Linda Kage

Fresh Fridays: On Friday, I review a brand new series (ie. only has one book released so far) to see if the series is worth keeping up with. Here is this week’s offering:

Price of a Kiss by Linda Kage | Forbidden Men Series

Series: Forbidden Men
Author: Linda Kage
# of Books: 8 (View Full List Here)
Book Order:Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Drama, Witty (?)
Heat Rating: really warm
Point of View: First Person

Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book. In theory, it had everything I like in a New Adult read: a past filled with drama; an interesting spin on the relationship–and, added bonus, humour. But in the end, I think that is what made this book a disappointment.

Part of the issue is Reese–she just wasn’t what I expected and because the story is only told from her perspective, it dampens the reading experience. If I had to use three words to describe her I would use: immature, hypocritical and odd.

Knowing what I knew about her past, I expected her to be timid and a little damaged from her past. Perhaps it is a stereotype from the genre, but most heroines who go through a past like hers aren’t very confident and suffer from their ordeal in some sort of way and that was what I was expecting with Reese. However, Reese is a little odd in that she makes light of the situation and seems to have no long-term problems from her situation. And while I can appreciate the fact that she doesn’t let her past get her down, it rubbed me the wrong way because, to me, it felt like they were making the situation seem less serious than it actually is. Not everyone will feel that way to be sure but it set a tone for me that I couldn’t shake off as I read the book.

I also felt like I was reading a book with characters set in high school. My word, if I have to listen to Reese refer to Mason as “Hotness” one more time I think I might scream. I assume that most of Reese’s thoughts were an attempt at humour but they just seemed petty to me. The lack of maturity of the characters again knocked this book down a notch for me. This also explains why I found Reese to be slightly hypocritical because she was heavily influenced by Eva yet would get angry when people were influenced by others. I just felt her character was a little all over the place at times and would have appreciated some consistency.

As for the plot, it felt a little prolonged. The book could have easily been 50 or so pages shorter and not have suffered. I liked watching Reese and Mason interact and I liked that not everything was physical between them and they got to know each other. I personally feel like Mason was too good for Reese but I did warm up to Reese slightly by the end.

Conclusion:

I won’t be going out of my way to read To Professor, with Love anytime soon. Maybe if I can find a cheap copy I’ll consider it but for now, this series is a pass for me. Some people might enjoy the “quirky” character that is Reese but others might find their patience tested by her and find this book a disappointment like me.

Rating: 2.5/5

Similar Reads: Nothing comes to mind immediately.

Synopsis for Price of a Kiss (from Goodreads):
I don’t care what my cousin says; I am not the queen of impossible relationships. I mean, just because my last boyfriend tried to kill me and left a bit of a scar on my neck, then forced me to move across the country and legally change my name to Reese Randall to escape him, does not mean—

Oh, who am I kidding? For a freshman in college, I have to have the worst dating track record ever.

It’s no wonder love is the last thing on my mind when Mason Lowe enters my life. But the chemistry between us is like bam! Our connection defies logic. And he’s just so freaking hot. Being around him makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before. I even like bickering with him. He could be my soul mate…except for one teeny tiny glitch.

He’s a gigolo.

Boy, do I know how to pick them.

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