Forbidden Part One

Forbidden: Part One - 3-star Paranormal Romance

Whispers & Pages am 19.12.2025
Bewertungsnummer: 2680883
Bewertet: Buch (Taschenbuch)

The story takes place in a rigidly segregated society in which each individual is assigned a role. Alphas hold all the power, Omegas are stripped of their rights and autonomy, and Betas occupy an unstable middle ground. The world is governed by the DA, a political institution with outdated beliefs that enforces increasingly oppressive laws, further dehumanizing Omegas, and treating them as little more than assets meant to serve Alpha society. Opposing the DA is the Alliance, a resistance group fighting to dismantle the system and introduce progressive reform. Josie, the FMC, grew up in an abusive pack and carries significant childhood trauma, which is further worsened by persistent body shaming related to her weight. In a society where violence and abusive Alphas are normalized, she does everything she can to suppress her first heat. She knows that it would force her into a pack bond and potentially into yet another harmful situation. When avoidance becomes impossible, Josie receives unexpected help from the Alliance and is introduced to a pack of three Alphas—Ben, Theo, and Cam-who seem too good to be true. I found this book very difficult to rate. The characters are well-designed, and their emotions feel authentic. Josie is caring and genuinely likable, while Ben, Theo, and Cam embody most girls’ ultimate fantasy: attractive, considerate, and deeply loving. The pacing is slow, and the story focuses heavily on bonding, intimacy, and emotional comfort, often at the expense of plot and forward momentum. The writing has a deliberately soothing, almost overly gentle tone that makes the reading experience feel cozy but blunts the impact of the story’s darker themes. This was my main issue: despite the severe trauma Josie has endured, the emotional weight never truly lands. When she starts opening up, the author smooths over the worst events so thoroughly that the moments lack punch. As a result, I never fully connected with Josie on a deeper emotional level, and the story didn’t deliver the angst or emotional intensity I expected. For my taste, there was too much damage control, making the book feel closer to a YA experience rather than a darker, more emotionally challenging romance. Ben, Theo, and Cam are kind, loving, and supportive—but they are also almost too perfect, which further reduces tension. Combined with the excessive length (this part did not need to be over 500 pages), the book occasionally felt repetitive and overly indulgent in comfort scenes. The audiobook narration was well done, and the narrators delivered a good performance. Overall, if you’re looking for a reverse harem romance that prioritizes emotional intimacy, comfort, and character bonding over action, tension, angst or plot progression, this will likely be a great fit for you. Story: 3 ⭐️ Spice: 3