Excerpt: Love’s Forbidden Flower by Diane Rinella

Love’s Forbidden Flower
(Forbidden Flower, #1)
By: Diane Rinella
Publisher: Midnight to Six
Published: Nov. 28, 2012
Genre: New Adult Romance

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

The heart cares not what society forbids.

Lily nurtures a secret love for a flawless man—the one who is her soul mate. Donovan is gorgeous, charismatic, and delights in all of Lily’s talents and quirks. Their innate knowledge of each other is almost telepathic. Together they interlock like fine threads creating luxurious silk.

But society dictates this picture-perfect adoration is the ghastliest of all possibilities.

As Lily embarks on a quest for the romance the heavens intended, her suitor turns reluctant. Desperate to uncover why Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hiding decayed from a tender-hearted gentleman into a ferociously self-serving, cocky bastard, Lily is prepared for battle when it comes to the salvation of her soul mate. However, Donovan traps Lily in a mental game of chess, leaving her to question his sanity. When Lily’s revelations about Donovan’s destructive alter ego lead to an inconceivable truth, can she help Donovan survive fate’s cruel joke?

Impassioned, witty, and deeply moving, Love’s Forbidden Flower is filled with stunning controversies that will forever haunt your heart.

His hold on me tightens, more so for me than for himself. The heat of our bodies, down coats, and wool blankets is barely enough to keep us from shivering. But the warmth from his heart gives me hope for the real Donovan. We stare at the lights of the town below for a long time before he speaks, “I needed this.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured.”

“Lily, how is it you’re always so strong and sure of things?”

“I’m strong because I decided a long time ago that I had to be, else I would wind up like Mom and I’m subservient to no one. As for being sure of things… There are some things I’m not so sure of, but when my inner voice controls my lips I know it’s right, so I don’t question it.”

Putting his chin on my shoulder he pulls me a little closer. His tone is sincere, but his actions claim territory. “You’re lucky to be in love with Christopher. He’s exactly what you need right now.”

“I never told you that. How do you know I’m in love with Christopher?”

He tucks my hair behind my ear and leans in as if fearing someone may hear his confession. “You and I still know each other better than anyone. I see how you look at him. I’ve seen that look before.”

How truly pathetic is this moment?

“You know, you’re pretty tight-lipped, but when you do say something you really go for the gut, yet you don’t admit anything, so I’m never completely sure if you’re saying what I think you are. Is that what last night was about?”

“Last night’s upset was a drop in the old bucket. But I mean it; you’re both very lucky. He loves you more than I think you realize.”

“I’m very much in love with Christopher, but let’s face it, there’s something going on here with us. Like it or not—admit it or not—it’s there, it’s real, and it’s strong. And it’s not just some passing physical thing. It’s buried deep in my soul and rips at me constantly. So for now, I just take each day as it comes.”

 
 

Enjoying San Francisco as a backdrop, the ghosts in Diane’s 150-year old Victorian home augment the chorus in her head. With insomnia as their catalyst, these voices have become multifarious characters that haunt her well into the sun’s crowning hours, refusing to let go until they have manipulated her into succumbing to their whims. Her experiences as an actress, business owner, artisan cake designer, software project manager, Internet radio disc jockey, vintage rock n’ roll journalist/fan girl, and lover of dark and quirky personalities influence her idiosyncratic writing.

 

2 Thoughts on “Excerpt: Love’s Forbidden Flower by Diane Rinella

  1. Thank you, Kristin, for running the excerpt. I appreciate your time and the opportunity.

    Cheers!
    Diane

  2. A little of a triangle and maybe second chances, never thought about the two of those together.

Leave a Reply to dianerinellaauthor Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post Navigation