Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Welcome to the blog tour for The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas! This is Jodi's latest novel, and it's surely one not to miss. You can win a copy today!

About the Book:

The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: August 8, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

A new story of dangerous temptations from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the This Man trilogy.

Annie has never experienced the 'spark' with a guy-that instant chemistry that renders you weak in the knees. That is, until a night out brings her face to face with the dangerously sexy and mysterious Jack. It's not just a spark that ignites between them. It's an explosion. Jack promises to consume Annie, and he fully delivers on that promise.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of their one night together, Annie slips out of their hotel room. She is certain that a man who's had such a powerful impact on her must be dangerous. She has no idea that he belongs to another. That he's forbidden. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

About the Author:

Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a Converse & mojito addict, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males.

Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

She’s now a proud #1 New York Times bestselling author – all six of her published novels having hit the New York Times bestsellers list – as well as a Sunday Times bestseller and international bestseller. Her work is published in over 20 languages across the world.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter


The Excerpt:

“Thank you for your help,” I say quietly, studying him, definitely detecting that he’s deep in thought. Don’t ask, don’t ask, don’t ask. I need to get back into my apartment without engaging with him, which could prove tricky when he’s blocking the doorway and looking like he has no intention of shifting to let me in. 

“Annie,” he breathes. “I’m struggling so badly.” 

“I’m not doing this.” I swallow, pushing my way past him. He grabs me by the top of my arm and holds me in place. “Let me go, Jack.”

“I’ve already told you I can’t do that. Annie, I’m drowning here. I’m going out of my mind, and the more time I spend with you the fucking worse it’s getting. Listening to you, talking to you, sharing a passion with you that goes way beyond the amazing time we had in bed together.”

“You have to forget!” I yell, knowing anger is the only way forward. Be angry with him. Let it dominate me and rule me, because the alternative scares me to fucking death.

He pushes me into the hall and slams the door behind us, forcing me to back up. “No,” he says, straight and even. “No,” he repeats, moving one more step forward, except this time I don’t retreat. Because I can’t. Because he has me locked in place with those grey eyes, and now they’re back to their full glory. Sparkling, even if it’s with anger. He reaches for his shirt and starts unbuttoning it before shrugging it off and throwing it to the floor, revealing the chest that’s haunting me. 

I quickly look down at the pile of material, my mind reeling. His chest. His perfect damn chest. “What are you doing?” 

“I have no fucking idea.” He reaches for me and slides a hand around my neck, pulling me to him. Our chests meet, and my determination to repel him vanishes under our connection. Wrongs turn into rights. Conflict turns into craving. 

“I can’t get you out of my head, Annie.” His forehead meets mine, his palm massaging away the tightness in my neck muscles, softening me up until I relax in his hold. “I want you all over again, and I can’t even find the will to worry about how much more that’ll make me want you.” He breathes down on me. “I’ve played that night on repeat. I’ve dreamed of holding you in my arms again. I’ve craved the sound of your voice, the feel of your touch, the softness of your lips on mine. I know I shouldn’t want you. But I do. Nothing has ever made me feel this insane with need. Nothing has taken up so much space in my head. I can’t fucking help it, Annie.” His grey gaze sinks into me, my heart steadying to an even thrum. His head starts to shake mildly, his splayed hand moving up to the back of my head and fisting my hair. “I don’t want to help it,” he growls. “I want you. I don’t care how wrong it is.” His clenched fist tightens, gripping my hair harshly. “I know I’ve been on your mind since I fucked you every which way in that hotel room. Stop denying it. Don’t insult me and tell me you don’t crave that amazing feeling all over again. I can see it in your eyes every damn time I look into them. You. Want. Me.” 

It’s me who moves in first. All me. I lunge forward and smash my lips to his, the magnetic force winning. His words winning. Jack winning. My heart winning. I coax his mouth open with hard, hungry kisses. I’ve lost my mind to a craving too powerful to fight off. And, like Jack, I don’t care how wrong it is. 

Lost.

Yet as he walks me backward until my back slams into the wall, I feel found again. 

I cry out, and Jack moans. We’re clumsy and desperate. He’s pushing me up the wall with the force of his kiss, then he’s rolling away, taking me with him until it’s his back slamming into the wall. It’s the elevator all over again. The atmosphere is sizzling. I’m on fire. He scoops me up, pinning me to him, and carries me into my bedroom. I focus on him. Only him and the return of feelings that I’ve fantasized about since that unforgettable night. All the guilt is abandoning me, and I let it, unprepared to let anything stop me from taking the forbidden. 

The Giveaway:

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Excerpt Reveal and Giveaway: The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Welcome to the teaser blitz for The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas! This new book by Malpas publishes on August 8th, less than a month from now. Be sure to check it out when it publishes - but you can read an early excerpt today!

About the Book:

The Forbidden by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: August 8, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

A new story of dangerous temptations from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the This Man trilogy.

Annie has never experienced the 'spark' with a guy-that instant chemistry that renders you weak in the knees. That is, until a night out brings her face to face with the dangerously sexy and mysterious Jack. It's not just a spark that ignites between them. It's an explosion. Jack promises to consume Annie, and he fully delivers on that promise.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of their one night together, Annie slips out of their hotel room. She is certain that a man who's had such a powerful impact on her must be dangerous. She has no idea that he belongs to another. That he's forbidden. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

About the Author:

Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a Converse & mojito addict, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males.

Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

She’s now a proud #1 New York Times bestselling author – all six of her published novels having hit the New York Times bestsellers list – as well as a Sunday Times bestseller and international bestseller. Her work is published in over 20 languages across the world.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

Keeping his eyes on mine, he calls to the barman. “Two tequilas, please.”

“Tequila,” I muse, looking over my shoulder when the salt and lemon land behind me. “Is that my challenge?”

“Crying off?” he goads, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some notes. 

“Never,” I scoff, turning into the bar. I don’t know what his game is, but I want to play. With him. “You’re asking me to prove I’m sober by doing a shot?” I narrow my eyes on him, teasing. “Or is your plan to get me drunk and take advantage of me?”

He smiles to himself as he pays the barman. “You don’t look like the kind of woman who could be taken advantage of.”

“What kind of woman do I look like, then?” I challenge quietly.

He turns into me, watching me for a few moments. “I don’t know, but I think I’d like to find out.”

I hold his gaze for a few seconds, no retort coming to me. I think I want him to find out, too, just as much as I want to find out what kind of man he is. My eyes drop from his sparkling greys, down his tall, lean frame to his feet. 

Oh…fuck… 

“Let’s play,” he says, moving in closer and pulling one of the glasses forward. I don’t mean to, but I yank my arm away abruptly when he brushes against me, startled by the tiny stabs of pleasure that pitter-patter all over my skin. The fleeting touch tells me he would feel as good as he looks, and—give me strength—he smells divine, all manly and earthy and fucking edible. 

The sudden lapse in movement and talking from both of us becomes slightly awkward. I can feel him looking down at me. 

“What do I have to do?” I ask again quietly, almost on a breathy gasp. 

He clears his throat. “You’re not drunk?” 

“Not even the slightest bit.” I raise my nose in the air. 

“Good. Then you’ll smash this challenge first time.” He places a finger on the brim of one of the shot glasses. “Brace your palms on the edge of the bar,” he orders, firm but softly. I look at him, finding a serious face. “Go on.”

Frowning, I place my hands on the edge of the bar. “Okay?” 

He takes my hips. He takes my fucking hips! I freeze from top to toe and swallow hard, waiting. My insides are quickly furling, my mind in chaos. “Move back a bit,” he says, pulling at them a little until I step back. 

Oh, Jesus. I’m on fire. I have a strange man bending me over a bar in public, and me, Annie I’m-immune-to-men Ryan, isn’t fighting him off. It’s like he has me under a spell. What gives? I dare not look behind me. I’m not stupid enough to think Lizzy isn’t currently watching a man manipulate my body to where he wants it. 

“You feel tense,” he observes, releasing me and moving back to my side.

I don’t deny it; neither do I confirm it. His big hands felt so good resting on my hips, so much so I have to resist not claiming them and putting them back where they were. “What now?” I ask, evidently struggling for air, damn me.

“Now.” He picks up his beer and grins. “I get to gloat that I had you bent over a bar within five minutes of meeting you.” He takes a swig, still grinning, and I hear the roar of a man down the bar laughing his head off. 

Oh, the fucker! Part of me has admiration. Another part of me wants to slap him stupid; I don’t care how beautiful he is. And another part of me wants to rip his clothes from his body and ravish the sly bastard.

I cannot believe I fell for it! How many women has he played like a fiddle? I drop my head, shaking it to myself. 

I knew that smile was dangerous. A man who can bend a woman to his will so easily and so soon couldn’t be anything less than lethal. And the fact that he got me with his wicked game means hats off to him. I can’t possibly take that away from him, and since I’m lacking in the dignity department right now, I decide not to slap him. Nor will I chuck a drink over his head, or fire a load of verbal abuse at him. 

I’ll do what he least expects. 

I push myself up and turn to face him, unable to stop myself from smiling at his half-grin. Holding his gaze, I slowly lick the back of my hand, blindly take the salt off the bar, sprinkle a bit, and take one of the shots of tequila. But as I’m taking my hand to my mouth to lick the salt up, he seizes my wrist and takes the shot from my other hand. My heartbeat accelerates, our eyes glued to each other as he moves into me and slowly brings my hand to his mouth. I watch, gripped, as he lazily licks up the salt from the back of my hand, eyes on mine, and then knocks the tequila back. Kill me now, for I will certainly die a happy woman. His tongue on my skin. His eyes boring into mine. His hold of my wrist. I must look like a statue—unable to talk, move, or think clearly. 

“There’s one more tequila,” he says, cocking his head toward the bar but keeping me in his sights. “And it’s yours.” 

Oh good lord. My heart is speeding up by the second as I watch him lick the back of his hand and sprinkle some salt. Then he offers it to me. I stare at his hand, and then slowly look up at him. I could get lost in those grey glittery eyes. 

“I taste good,” he whispers.

The Giveaway:

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Release Day Blitz and Giveaway: The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Welcome to the release day blitz for The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas! I read this book recently and enjoyed it. If you like a bodyguard romance, this is one for you!

The Protector review

About the book:

The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

Jodi Ellen Malpas is the New York Times and Sunday Times (UK) bestselling author of two romantic trilogies: This Man and One Night.  Now, Jodi Ellen Malpas is back with her long-awaited next novel—and her first stand-alone story—THE PROTECTOR (Forever; September 6, 2016; $15.99).

People think they have Camille Logan nailed: rich kid, daddy’s girl, beautiful, and spoiled.  But Camille knows that support from her ultra-wealthy and overbearing father comes with a price tag not worth paying for.  She wants a life without his strings.  Out on her own, she’s made a few mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press.  Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father’s questionable business dealings.  She has no choice but to play ball when he hires an ex-SAS sniper to protect her at all costs.  

Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell.  He had been distracted from duty once before and the consequences were devastating, both personally and professionally.  He vowed to never let that happen again.  Being the bodyguard to socialite model Camille is exactly the kind of low pressure job he needs.  But he quickly comes to discover that Camille isn’t what he expected.  She’s warm and emotionally generous, and she slowly succeeds in drawing him out of his tough exterior.  Jake’s past haunts him.  Camille’s presence settles him.  But he can’t have both.  

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a Converse & mojito addict, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males.

Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

She’s now a proud #1 New York Times bestselling author – all six of her published novels having hit the New York Times bestsellers list – as well as a Sunday Times bestseller and international bestseller. Her work is published in over 20 languages across the world.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Trailer:

The Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swoon Thursday (#183): The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas!

We stand in front of each other, staring... and our rage changes into something else. I breathe out shakily and shrug off the goose bumps, watching as his eyes fall to my lips before quickly flicking back up to meet my gaze. Fire crackles between our bodies.

I try to straighten my thoughts, but I don't get the time that I need to analyze it all. Jake's coming at me fast grabbing me and slamming his lips to mine. I feel like all the pressure bursts out of me, the stress and confusion going with it. His kiss is primal and unforgiving, his hard body forcing itself against my front. I whimper, accepting his power, grabbing at his shoulders while we explore each other's mouths, hungry and desperate. My hands move to his hair, the pleasure wracking me, making my knees weak. I start to wobble, holding onto him to keep from falling out of his strong arms.

- eARC, 37%

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Read my review of The Protector!

I really enjoyed this book! This is Jake and Camille's first kiss, and it's a pretty explosive scene. ;)

Review: The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: September 6, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

People think they have Camille Logan nailed: daddy's girl; beautiful, spoiled young woman with her father's bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she's made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father's ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.

Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating--both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn't the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don't mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn't the woman she's perceived to be. She's warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can't have both.

What I Liked:

This is the first book I've read by JEM, who I've seen is very popular in the UK (she's British). I picked this one on a whim. I'd never heard of the author or book, but I really liked the cover, and I LOVE bodyguard stories. This book seemed perfect for me - and it was pretty great!

Jake Sharp is an ex-SAS sniper, dangerous and lethal and very good at what he does. He's currently working at a security firm, and his next assignment is to protect and shadow a rich daddy's girl 24/7. Camille Logan is exactly the type of woman Jake likes to avoid. But Jake has her pegged all wrong. She isn't pompous and self-centered and fake; she's stubborn and sweet and independent, and she fights for every inch of freedom that her father allows her. Jake has been living in darkness for four years, and Camille is his sun. In this standalone novel, the bodyguard and the protected become something more - but what happens when secrets are uncovered and lines are blurred?

This book, to me, is all about Jake. Camille has her own past and demons, but they are nothing compared to Jake's history. He served in the army, which alone is enough to haunt a man. But his personal life took a rough turn, and he became distracted while serving, and he was discharged. His work at the security firm is his purpose and his drive, and a flouncy heiress isn't going to distract him. Right? 

Wrong. Camille worms his way past his shields without even trying. I liked Camille - she wasn't prissy and snobby and selfish like I expected. Her father has her under lockdown even before the bodyguard. At first, Camille hates the idea of Jake following her everywhere, all the time. But she's also ridiculously attracted to him. And eventually she decided that she wants to puzzle him out. Who hurt him? What haunts him so badly? I liked how much Camille grew to care about and for Jake. It isn't easy, to be with someone with PTSD and with so many skeletons in the closet. But Camille is definitely the right person for Jake.

Jake... he's tortured by his past. Yet he is driven and focused, and very good at his job. He has a quiet yet large presence, an alpha swagger and air about him. And he is 100% alpha male, which I loved (obviously). This man is fiiiiine and while he has his issues, I liked seeing him work through them.

The romance is slow-burn, although the attraction was lust-at-first-sight (this almost never bothers me, and I was fine with it). This relationship is somewhat hate-to-love, which is quite possibly my favorite romance trope. Malpas writes this romance well, with very steamy scenes balanced with emotional ones.

Major plus to this book for having a great female friendship. Camille and Heather are hilarious, and a little crazy, and very supportive. There are subtle scenes that show how much each woman cares about the other and has the other's back. I only wish Jake had a male friend to rival this friendship!

This book has two stories, in a way. The primary story is dealing with the threats against Camille, which is why Jake was hired in the first place. Something about the threats don't add up, and something about Camille's father makes Jake suspicious. This plot was interesting, and the end was a good reveal, though not too surprising. The second plot is Jake's emotional journey, and how he overcame four years of pain and anger. The ending is surprising, but there is so much healing involved, and I thought the reveal about Jake's big secrets was well written.

Overall, I liked this book a lot. I'm interested in reading more of Malpas's books in the future, though I do hope this book is truly a standalone. It wraps up really well and stands on its own perfectly. Jake and Camille are sizzling together, and their story is wonderful.

What I Did Not Like:

Part of Jake's big secret irritated me, and that's because That Thing is something I generally HATE in romance books. Secret _____ really bother me. However, while I didn't like the surprise, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I kind of liked it, but I still didn't want it in this story.

Some of the dialogue and phrasing was so strange! For example, exclamation marks where there really should have been period, and phrases that seemed too blunt and out-of-place for the tone of that scene. The author is British, so it's possible that I'm just too used to American-written romance novels that have different nuances in writing. But those dialogue and phrasing really threw me off.

Would I Recommend It:

I liked this book - it's not a new favorite, but it was well-written (except those weird phrasing, but I think that's just me being American and the author being British) and very enjoyable. It took me by surprise, as I had no expectations. I savored this book as I read it, which I don't do often! So, short answer would be yes, I recommend it. It's not a must-read, but it's a good one! 

Also, if you think you have an idea of what That Thing is (that I mentioned above), and it's something that you don't like in romance novels either, please (privately) ask me about it! I'd hate for someone to read this book and absolutely hate it because of that aspect. And really, it wasn't even that bad! *vague Alyssa is vague*

Rating:

4 stars. If you enjoy bodyguard/protected woman stories, then this one is for you! It's a great example of that kind of story. I was a tiny bit worried about how everything would work out in the end, but the author handles the ending well. Nothing cliche here! 

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