Review- Prohibited Passion (Bandit Creek #10) by Alyssa Linn Palmer

Prohibited Passion (Bandit Creek #10)

By Alyssa Linn Palmer

January 12, 2012

F/F/Bisexual/ Period Historical 1920’s

72 pgs

This erotic romance brings you right into the middle of Prohibition...

Ruth wants to escape the boredom of Bandit Creek and the strict expectations of her father, the local pastor. Her life changes the day she meets CeeCee, a world-wise flapper, and an irresistible attraction develops between them. She’ll be disowned and shunned if anyone discovers their prohibited passion, but can they keep their growing affection a secret?

CeeCee is drawn to Ruth, but things become complicated when her gangster companion disapproves of their liaison. He’s in town to broker a deal with the owner of the local speakeasy, and he’s not above using them to further his own plans. Can CeeCee protect Ruth and their budding relationship?

As Ruth gets drawn further into their world, she must decide between her familiar life and a new, dangerous path with the woman she loves

I really don’t know how to categorize this book. I enjoyed it, but it’s not really a romance per se. It’s more like a coming out/of age lesbian fiction story.

Ruth feels stifled and trapped in her life. Her mother has passed away and she is all her preacher father has. She takes care of him and the house as was what women were expected to do in those days and is expected to act as a proper preacher’s daughter should.  She’s of an age that young men are coming around to court her, ones that will take over the position of church preacher when her father retires, but she has no interest in that. Instead she dreams of a life outside, free of all these constraints and full of new experiences.

While shopping in town, she casually glances through the cafe window and sees a beautiful woman sitting alone, clearly a stranger in town. She’s mesmerized by this woman, the way she’s dressed, her beauty. This woman, CeeCee, happens to notice her looking and see’s something about Ruth that attracts her. She’s so much like someone she once knew, someone she loved.

CeeCee ends up inviting Ruth to a speakeasy, something Ruth feels rather uncomfortable about due to how things would look for her father if she were caught, but is so enthralled by CeeCee she goes. This catapults Ruth into a whole new world and helps her discover things about herself she didn’t know about.

Ruth responds easily to CeeCee’s advances even if she’s shy. CeeCee represents just the new and exciting that Ruth craves. However, there’s a kink in the budding love between CeeCee and Ruth, Sheirdan, CeeCee’s busisness partner/boyfriend/controller.

Sheridan is not happy that Ruth, the preacher’s daughter, has been brought there and makes it known is clear and on aggressive terms. This creates tension in all of them.

What was kind of weird for me in this story was how easily CeeCee moves between Sheridan and Ruth. I didn’t quite get her relationship with Sheridan. They have a sort of business relationship in which CeeCee is used to seduce costumers into buying the bootleg booze from Sheridan. He seems to have a lot of control over her both physically and emotionally, which he exercises somewhat violently at times. But at the same time, they also have a comfortable sexual relationship, which she openly enjoys. CeeCee, however, begs Sheridan on a regular basis to allow her to get with Ruth, which he tries to dissuade at every turn.

Clearly CeeCee is bisexual and in a somewhat co-dependent relationship with Sheridan. I got CeeCee’s attraction to Ruth and that she wanted to have something with her, however, it was all set up to be doomed as long as Sheridan was involved and she kept working as a bootlegger, something she seemed to have a hard time walking away from for a reason we don’t know.

Although not a romance that follows the rules of romance, the author did manage to infuse a lot of loving energy between the women. The sex scenes were nicely written even if not too graphic and the setting felt authentic to the time period as well.

Mainly this is a story about Ruth’s journey from being small town sheltered girl to having the courage to go for what she wants and to be who she is. This is what her relationship with CeeCee gives her.

Heat level: 2-3- sensual sex scenes, not graphically written.

Grade: Liked it

Warning: this is not a romance that follows romance rules.