Forbidden by Time by Negeen Papehn

A special thank you to the author, Negeen Papehn, for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Bita is a strong, modern woman who is successful in her professional life—she's a dentist—and is a no-nonsense kind of gal. In her personal life, she is single, which to her pushy Iranian mother (and the rest of her family), is concerning. 

Determined to be self-sufficient and to stand on her own two feet, Bita purchases her first home. An unexpected spark with the handsome, older real estate agent leads to more than just a business transaction.

The relationship has its challenges with their fifteen-year age gap, Ramtin's ex-wife and daughters, and Bita's overbearing family. Despite all that is working against them, it is Ramtin who she wants to be with. But then something unexpected happens and Bita must decide if he is worth the ultimate sacrifice she will have to make.

Although this is the third and final installment in the Forbidden series, it can read as a standalone novel. There is enough information provided for those that didn't read Forbidden by Faith or Forbidden by Destiny, yet isn't repetitive.

Bita is the strong-willed, older sister of Maziar from Forbidden by Faith. She was a stand-out character in that book, so I was happy that she was chosen to be the main character for this story. She is a dynamic, strong, and multi-faceted character that many women will be able to relate to. 

What I enjoy most about this series is that it is a modern/cultural take on the forbidden love/Romeo and Juliet trope. Each of the main characters must overcome familial obligations and expectations, as well as experience growth and ultimately, they must decide if the relationship is worth the fall-out that could occur.  

Papehn writes with intense feeling and purpose—she injects her contemporary love stories with the emotions of all of the characters. She also infuses the novels with her own experiences and voice, bringing her Iranian heritage into each book in this series as the basis of the narrative. These types of stories are important to tell because they represent so many, yet are not widely read or written about.

Congratulations, Negeen, on another fabulous achievement. I can't wait to see what you do next!

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NEGEEN PAPEHN is a graduate of USC dental school and divides her time between her patients and writing.

She was born and raised in southern California, where she currently lives with her husband and two boys.