Moira Mctark shows us that it’s not the number of pages that counts, but what you do with them that are important. In a spare 38 pages, a sensual love story enfolds that almost had me tearing up.

Cade and Claire were young lovers from very different backgrounds. Claire is the little rich girl with an overbearing family while Cade was everything blue collar. The tried to be together, but things never go as planned. In an exciting prologue from ten years earlier we see Cade attempting to get to Claire before her parents ship her off to some unknown location in order to save her from Cade.

Present-day Claire is opening an art gallery in the same town where she met Cade. She’s using an alias so as not to arouse suspicion as to her whereabouts. From what her family told her, Cade should either be safely locked behind bars or far, far away. But the foreman who is hired to remodel Claire’s gallery just happens to be Cade.

Cade spent some time in prison after the failed attempt to rescue Claire. A harsh punishment for what happens to be little more than a breaking and entering, but dear old papa had some good connections. Cade is rebuilding his life and still fights to forget his first love. He thinks he was betrayed by her and vice versa. It all centers on a Big Misunderstanding that, due to the short page count, enhances rather than annoys.

Both characters were well drawn and the past love story was heartbreaking. I felt the love they shared, and the unavoidable hurt both endured thanks to Claire’s father. Cade really made his mark on me and I just can’t help falling for a guy who loves that deeply.

Don’t forget this is erotic romance. Besides a love story there is some spice. Well, a lot of spice. My only problem, and it’s very small, is that there are a few words tossed around during the love scenes that didn’t fit the tone. I’m not bashful in the least, so I wasn’t shocked, but they felt out of place.

I’m new to the world of e-books, but I’ll be looking for more when I’m fed up with my local bookstore. I wouldn’t hesitate picking Forbidden up – downloading actually – for a quick, sensual read. Well done.