As a half breed, the heroine barely made it out alive from Atlantis and her mothers people who want to experiment on her- use her as a way for them to walk on land. In the process of escaping her leg was badly mangled but this handicap doesn't stop her from being truly free while she is in the ocean. She has crystals in her body that allow her to breath under water and in the depths of the wide open water, she is finally able to be a whole person again. She meets the hero at a bar one night and from the second she laid eyes on the large bald black man she knew he was trouble with a capital T-but something about him drew her in. The hero was one of the group of men who feel asleep in a cave and woke up after the apocalypse. As a guide, he's adapted quite well to this new world he finds himself in. He is still that unapologetic flirt, still that ladies man with the killer smile he knows very well drives women crazy. But all that is just a front. He uses his charm and playboy antics to hide the truth deep inside. He misses his family, he is lonely and he suffers from a debilitating fear of water. Just looking at the ocean is enough to send his heart racing and when he finds himself forced into the water-be it to save a young girls life or the heroine's- he becomes terrified and completely irrational in fear. As such, he fears inadequate when it comes to the heroine, knowing her love of the ocean makes their future unlucky. That doesn't stop him from wanting to be with her and he pursues her whole heartedly. The heroine is equally frustrated by the hero's obnoxious sexual jokes and cocky self confidence as she is attracted. She finds him funny and can't stop herself from being lured in by his charm. But she also see that all the jokes are a mask for what he hides inside. She can see his torment and his insecurities and they resonate with her own. When the Atlantians make plans to destroy Envy, she is the only one capable of stopping them but she needs the hero's help. Somehow he must overcome his fears and become who he was meant to be. I found these characters to be well developed and 3 dimensional. Each had their faults and their virtues. Each had their secrets and their desire to belong somewhere with someone. The hero hide his torment behind that jokester mask and his many sexual innuendos and jokes were just a cover up and as the story progressed he found it harder and harder to hide behind them. He found a woman who saw past that and though this scared him, he was also drawn to her like a moth to the flame. His fear of water was all consuming and every time someone brought it up or hinted at it, he would snap at them. But it was a handicap he could overcome if he acknowledged the truth. The heroine was a very strong female lead-as are all the heroine's on the series. She didn't let her leg hold her back and though she was mortified whenever she fell or whenever she felt inadequate- she was full of pride and determination. What both characters had it common was their tendency to hide their insecurities by trying to make a joke about them but inside both characters were wounded. I found their chemistry to be great and the plot line fresh and interesting. I wasn't wowed by the story but I liked it well enough. ( )

Full review to be posted:

Another great instalment in the Envy Chronicles. The romance was very sweet and tender which is a bit of a change from the heavy angst of previous books although that is not to say there isn't serious issues in the story. I did love how Fence and Ana both had fears which helped to really cement their relationship with each other and the ongoing plotlines with the Elites and Atlanteans kicks up a gear. But overall for me the real strength of this book was the romance which was fun and sweet. ( )

Read for Review (Edelweiss)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 3.75

HUGE COVER PET PEEVE: Really how much does it take to get the look/feel of the leading man correct on the cover? Not that the cover guy isn't hot but he isn't Fence.

First thought when finished: Night Forbidden was an excellent continuation of the conflict between the Water Dwellers and the Land Dwellers!

What I thought of the story: Night Forbidden delivered on story! I was really thrilled to see how the story really picked it up a notch and the way some things changed. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

What I thought of the characters: Don't throw anything at me but I think I can handle Fence's sense of humor on a smaller scale. That being said, I freaking loved Ana. I thought she was a fantastic leading lady.

Final thought: Night Forbidden is the 5th book in the Envy Chronicles. I won't say you have to read them in order (since I didn't read book 3 or 4--going to correct that) but I will say you need to read book 1 first (thank you The Jeep Diva for my copy) so you get a feel for the world. ( )

Read for Review (Edelweiss)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 3.75

HUGE COVER PET PEEVE: Really how much does it take to get the look/feel of the leading man correct on the cover? Not that the cover guy isn't hot but he isn't Fence.

First thought when finished: Night Forbidden was an excellent continuation of the conflict between the Water Dwellers and the Land Dwellers!

What I thought of the story: Night Forbidden delivered on story! I was really thrilled to see how the story really picked it up a notch and the way some things changed. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

What I thought of the characters: Don't throw anything at me but I think I can handle Fence's sense of humor on a smaller scale. That being said, I freaking loved Ana. I thought she was a fantastic leading lady.

Final thought: Night Forbidden is the 5th book in the Envy Chronicles. I won't say you have to read them in order (since I didn't read book 3 or 4--going to correct that) but I will say you need to read book 1 first (thank you The Jeep Diva for my copy) so you get a feel for the world. ( )

Mystery, romance, apocalyptic books are a strange combination. I like the mysteries. I like the romances. I’m not too keen on apocalyptic books especially with zombies. Okay, Joss Ware slightly changed my mind with his book, Night Forbidden.

A tidal wave wipes out a huge chunk of the western United States. The population is a fraction of what it once was. Skyscrapers fill up the ocean. Fence and his friends are the few who remember the time before The Change. The wild has taken over the world. Zombies are created by the Elite who yearn to obtain immortality and connect with the people of Atlantis, but there is more at stake here. There are conspiracies. Family members can trust each other. Mutations help man survive. It becomes a fight for survival with the help of a girl whose mother was from Atlantis. She might hold the key to it all, but at what cost?

Don’t expect to have story that makes complete sense. After all, this is about a world very unlike our own. All the rules cannot be applied in this storyline. It’s a fiction book with a fantastic story. The author did a great job in creative methods for the life and interactions with the people of Atlantis. This was not just a plain old zombie book. It was much deeper than that with various plots intertwined giving the reader so much to follow and keeping the reader on my toes.

Warnings? This book does have some language in it. Okay, quite a bit of F-bombs. There are also many references to sex and several detailed scenes. None of these are easily avoidable, so skipping is not an option in this story.

One of the greatest things about this book was the various storylines so well put together that once one story ended, another picked up and carried it on. I got caught up in the Fence and Ana story while keeping an eye on Zoe and her man while keeping another eye on Wyatt and the mysterious woman wanted by zombies and man alike. I’ve never multi-tasked so much while reading. I actually enjoyed it.

I did wish there was less language and less sexual references, but the story was surprising great. I now want to read the next book in the series.

Note: This book was provided by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. ( )