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A review by heartscontent
Her Forbidden Flesh by Airicka Phoenix, Airicka Phoenix
4.0
Big shout out and thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!
I would say my favourite thing about any book—the one thing that can always keep me with a story no matter what else goes awry—would be the heart the shines through. I’m a sucker for any book that has a lot of heart in it and that’s something that’s evident no matter how it’s written, or what it’s about. I think a book has many elements and this too is one other aspect of it that influences how it reads.
The first thing that became immediately evident to me was exactly that while I was reading Her Forbidden Flesh by Airicka Phoenix. Despite the first half of the book having a heavier focus on the chemistry between the characters, I could sense the hidden potential just peeking at us coyly. This was the temptation, the promise, that kept me going through the whole of the first half.
HFF I would categorise as more novella sized; which to me means there’s just lesser time and space to accomplish everything a full sized book does. Essentially a book has all these elements: introducing characters and establishing their personalities, showcasing the relationship dynamics between the characters, revealing the plot knot and unravelling it. It’s safe to say this book has all of this! Colour me surprised that the author managed to firmly establish the personality of all the characters well and really fast. The narrative splits between the two MCs and their colliding worlds only add to us understanding the people around them, the characters themselves and their motives and feelings.
To say the writing in this book is one of its strengths considering it bit the metaphorical bullet (of writing a novella well) and spit it out is an understatement. I would’ve personally loved to see more of the relationship between MCs. It’s explained really well and eventually shown on scene; but I’d have loved to watch their relationship grow into what it is now. The first half of the book is heavily focused on the sparking chemistry between the MCs and has a lot of graphic content. While this is absolutely fine for most, I was often searching for the emotional connect I could tell existed underneath it all. The focus shifts more to that in the second-half of the book which I speed read through! Give a reader what they want and they’ll consume it whole and ask for more.
The plot was super simple: the characters figuring things out with one another and within themselves. But the author has handled that with a lot of sweetness (WHICH I JUST KNEW EXISTED UNDERNEATH ALL THAT FIRE). Watching the characters talk to one another, stand up for and support one another was super sweet. That’s not to say they don’t run, hide and struggle, they do in their own way, but it’s a novella, so they can only do so much if it.
For me the pace was different in the first and second half. The first half dragged a little because I wasn’t sure where the book was going, and felt like I was constantly looking at a direction I was hoping it would take. The second half did take the roads I wished it to travel and I had the zoomies!
Four stars! HFF is a lot of fun, with lots of emotions and heart; but you might have to push past some of it at times to get there! Happy reading!! Check trigger warnings please, the book has content that can be difficult for some. The author has them all listed!
I would say my favourite thing about any book—the one thing that can always keep me with a story no matter what else goes awry—would be the heart the shines through. I’m a sucker for any book that has a lot of heart in it and that’s something that’s evident no matter how it’s written, or what it’s about. I think a book has many elements and this too is one other aspect of it that influences how it reads.
The first thing that became immediately evident to me was exactly that while I was reading Her Forbidden Flesh by Airicka Phoenix. Despite the first half of the book having a heavier focus on the chemistry between the characters, I could sense the hidden potential just peeking at us coyly. This was the temptation, the promise, that kept me going through the whole of the first half.
HFF I would categorise as more novella sized; which to me means there’s just lesser time and space to accomplish everything a full sized book does. Essentially a book has all these elements: introducing characters and establishing their personalities, showcasing the relationship dynamics between the characters, revealing the plot knot and unravelling it. It’s safe to say this book has all of this! Colour me surprised that the author managed to firmly establish the personality of all the characters well and really fast. The narrative splits between the two MCs and their colliding worlds only add to us understanding the people around them, the characters themselves and their motives and feelings.
To say the writing in this book is one of its strengths considering it bit the metaphorical bullet (of writing a novella well) and spit it out is an understatement. I would’ve personally loved to see more of the relationship between MCs. It’s explained really well and eventually shown on scene; but I’d have loved to watch their relationship grow into what it is now. The first half of the book is heavily focused on the sparking chemistry between the MCs and has a lot of graphic content. While this is absolutely fine for most, I was often searching for the emotional connect I could tell existed underneath it all. The focus shifts more to that in the second-half of the book which I speed read through! Give a reader what they want and they’ll consume it whole and ask for more.
The plot was super simple: the characters figuring things out with one another and within themselves. But the author has handled that with a lot of sweetness (WHICH I JUST KNEW EXISTED UNDERNEATH ALL THAT FIRE). Watching the characters talk to one another, stand up for and support one another was super sweet. That’s not to say they don’t run, hide and struggle, they do in their own way, but it’s a novella, so they can only do so much if it.
For me the pace was different in the first and second half. The first half dragged a little because I wasn’t sure where the book was going, and felt like I was constantly looking at a direction I was hoping it would take. The second half did take the roads I wished it to travel and I had the zoomies!
Four stars! HFF is a lot of fun, with lots of emotions and heart; but you might have to push past some of it at times to get there! Happy reading!! Check trigger warnings please, the book has content that can be difficult for some. The author has them all listed!