The Forbidden Claim by Kelly Gendron *Book Tour Review/Exerpt*

Summary:

US Marshall Jinx Collins is an outspoken, free-spirited, and fearless woman. It's that same fearlessness, however, that tends to get her into trouble. Jinx questions her life prior to being adopted. When those questions lead her to a murderer who's about to be transported into the witness protection program, Jinx decides to kidnap him to see if she can uncover the truth.

Jed Kane has worked undercover in the human trafficking ring for years. When Jed accepts a job to disguise himself as one of his worst enemies and to take a ride from the correctional facility to a secured location, he certainly had not planned on being abducted by Jinx Collins. Jed's uncertain as to how he feels about her touchy-feely hands and loose lips-unsure if they irritate him or if they are awakening his badly behaving desires. Jed knows he must first find out what the fanatical little lady wants with a murderer before he can act on whatever he's feeling.

Straight away Jinx is attracted to the resilient and enticing Jed Kane-the only man who hasn't backed down from her candor. While Jinx discovers that the questionable criminal may be able to assist her in finding out the truth about her past, Jed vows to save Jinx from her daring self. Once Jinx starts to understand what Jed feels for her-he wants to own her-she demands that he succumb to the raging frenzy. Jed allows himself to seduce her body, submitting himself to that dominant need. But haunted by a world of unlawful ownership, Jed forbids his cold heart to stake its dangerous claim on Jinx Collins.

Length: 204 pages (E-book)

Source: ARC provided by CBLS Book Tours

Publication Date: March 12th 2012 by Red Sage Publishing

 I admit, it's been awhile since I've read a romantic suspense novel so when I got the invitation and saw the cover and summary I new I had to give this one a try and in the end I'm glad I did because I was really caught off guard by how much I enjoyed the story like and the characters.

While the book did have steamier bits I'm glad to say that the Kelly Gendron made a fine effort in order to make the story more than just reading about the horizontal tango. I was really happy that the book did have a fair amount suspense in it and it kept me interested in  the story line as well.

I also enjoyed how it was the female protagonist who was the one kidnapping the male lead because it's something I personally haven't read much of happening so it was an awesome change and I really liked the chemistry between Jinx (love the name) and Jed.

All in all I would say this was a great little romantic suspense novel for those looking for a bit of a steamier or spicier read. I'm really glad I gave this one a chance because Kelly did a great job writing her novel and it's the perfect length and ended just the way I wanted it to. 

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Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★

EXCERPT

Jinx sat in the chair, returning his harassing stare. His forehead glistened. His skin was flushed. “Hmm. Ya know, you don’t look so good,” she thought, and then said it aloud.

He swiped a hand over his forehead and got up. At his full height, he was a couple inches taller than Aztec’s six feet, and Jinx wondered how she’d missed that little detail too. His fingers came to the top button of the orange jumpsuit. He undid it, went for the second, and then the third.

Confused, she asked, “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m sweating my ass off,” he said, continuing on to the fourth button.

“It’s cool in here,” she said, desperately hoping he didn’t intend to strip right in front of her.

“Yeah, says the little lady in her skimpy short-shorts and tank top,” he retorted before he started to unfasten some kind of straps at his shoulders.

What the heck is he wearing? She watched as he pulled the thing from his body. An empathy belly, like a pregnancy vest without the breasts. He tossed it on the table. From his broad shoulders, he pushed off the top-half of the jumpsuit. It fell to the ground, revealing his lean waist. He pulled his sweatshirt over his head, and his muscle-toned biceps flexed as he hurled it to the ground. Jinx couldn’t resist. She leaned in, anxiously waiting and hoping the tight t-shirt was next, but it stayed on as he started to step out of the orange suit.

“You’re certainly not Aztec,” she drawled in amazement, still trying to adjust her eyes to the new and improved mystery man before her.

With the last step, he kicked the suit to the side and gave her a fleeting look. “I thought we already came to terms with that,” he said, standing there in a pair of nice-fitting jeans.

“Yes, but now I’ve gotta come to terms with this.” She waved her bound hands at the tight, hot male body in front of her.

“With what?”

“With this. With you,” she said with one last wave.

He rubbed his beard until his fingers started to pick at it, tugging from the base of the thick hairs. The scruffy whiskers lifted from his face in one clump.

That’s fake too? It sure was, and the face hidden behind all the coarse hair was a heart-stopper. The man was exceptional, from his striking, deep-set eyes to his tan, ripped body. Those exotic eyes, strong cheekbones, virile lips, and set jaw, sparked a new sensation inside of her—something hazardous but incredibly exciting. Attempting to fend it off, she heaved a sigh. “This is just great.” She slumped back into the chair. “I've been taken hostage by a guy who looks like he just stepped out of a damn GQ magazine.”

He swept those dark sexy eyes over every inch of her body. “Looks,” he said, finishing the bold but rigorous survey to meet her eyes, “can be very deceiving.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly has been faithfully writing for three years but did write her first book ten years ago. She put it down to raise her son as a single mom and then picked it back up when she and her son finally grew up. That's when she settled into her adult life and started to seriously write again. She's dabbled with paranormal stories, but recently she's been on a Romantic Suspense kick. The recipe for the men in her stories: dark and mysterious, strong and confident and, of course, besides magnificent bodies, and shameless aptitudes, they must have a heart you want to rip out of the pages (or your e-Reader) and take to bed with you at night.

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