Forbidden By Destiny

MULITI-CULTURAL:  Leyla is dreading the encounter with Ben. She is at his house to collect her best friend's items, left behind after a recent break up. Since she would do anything for her friend Sara, she will load up a few boxes and be on her way. Ben is surprised to see Leyla at his door. The small spark of attraction seems to take them both off guard. Is it really feelings they are having or just familiar territory? There are so many reasons why this cannot be an option, but feelings are hard to deny. Can the family and friends ever accept Ben since he is not really of ‘approved’ ethnic background for Leyla’s Iranian family, or will she willingly go along with the family’s choice of setting her up with a nice boy they all think is the better option?

Ms. Papehn has crafted a very touching story in “Forbidden by Destiny”. The main characters are very complex yet highly defined so readers will be fully vested from the get go. She exposes the reader to Iranian culture and family dynamics, and they are completely relatable. The one thing missing may be backstory on Ben. He’s a huge part of the story yet not much is shared about his family, interests or life in general.  This is part of a series, but very much stands alone. The characters do overlap so readers may want to read in order. Warning to readers: there is a a violent scene in the novel; it is well written, but descriptive and emotional. The arc of the story is suburb and the writing style is very inviting. Readers of this genre should give this series a serious look!

Viola Robins