The Forbidden Claim by Kelly Gendron, is a heart wrenching novel that will leave you, at times, breathless and crying out loud within the same paragraph.  With a suspense filled plot intermixed with pure unbridled passion, prepare to be impressed and in awe as you embark on this journey.

US Marshall Jinx Collins is an outspoken, free-spirited, and fearless woman. It’s that same fearlessness, however, that tends to get her into trouble. Jinx questions her life prior to being adopted. When those questions lead her to a murderer who’s about to be transported into the witness protection program, Jinx decides to kidnap him to see if she can uncover the truth. Jed Kane has worked undercover in the human trafficking ring for years. When Jed accepts a job to disguise himself as one of his worst enemies and take a ride from the correctional facility to a secured location, he certainly had not planned on being abducted by Jinx Collins. Jed’s uncertain as to how he feels about her touchy-feely hands and loose lips—unsure if they irritate him or if they are awakening his badly behaving desires. Jed knows he must first find out what the fanatical little lady wants with a murderer before he can act on whatever he’s feeling.
Straight away Jinx is attracted to the resilient and enticing Jed Kane—the only man who hasn’t backed down from her candor. While Jinx discovers that the questionable criminal may be able to assist her in finding out the truth about her past, Jed vows to save Jinx from her daring self. Once Jinx starts to understand what Jed feels for her—he wants to own her—she demands that he succumb to the raging frenzy. Jed allows himself to seduce her body, submitting himself to that dominant need. But haunted by a world of unlawful ownership, Jed forbids his cold heart to stake its dangerous claim on Jinx Collins. 
Locked away in a dark basement, a little boy is waiting to be rescued—and Jinx’s past holds the key to his prison. If Jinx can finally find the truth which holds her fears, and if Jed can forgive himself for his past, then not only might they be able to save the boy, but they might also discover that their carnal desires really derive from their own prison... an inescapable prison of love.

United State Marshall Jinx Collins is on a mission to discover the identity of a young woman who haunts her memories.  She feels connected in some way to her, and remembers her gentle and loving ways. Still, she has no true memories of who she really is and why she feels this incessant need to find her.  She is utterly determined to solve the mystery though, so she attempts to kidnap a crazed criminal by the name of Aztec.  She is almost positive that this man has a connection with this mystery girl, so she disregards her own safety to discover the truth..  Unfortunately for Jinx, the man she believes she is kidnapping turns out to be none other than Jed Kane, an undercover agent who works to expel cases of child trafficking.  It also appears that this delicious looking man is full of secrets himself as he is able to give her the answers she has been looking for about the mystery girl.  

For years now, Jed Kane has made it his mission in life to help end child trafficking, no matter what the outcome may be.  He's a tortured man with a heart of stone and he feels like he deserves to live in his own personal hell due to things in his past that were always out of his control.  When Jinx Collins enters the picture though, something inside of him shifts, and it's now a matter of concealing these newly arising emotions that this feisty "little woman" brings to his surface. He's holding the key to all her answers though, and feels the need to help her.  He begins to unlock the mystery surrounding the woman Jinx has been looking for when he reveals that she is her long lost sister Lucy, as well as his own friend and life long confidant.  With danger lurking around every corner, and new found love creeping into his heart, Jed finds himself wondering if his life has more purpose than what he originally thought, especially if includes a life with Jinx.

Both Jed and Jinx are extremely tortured and damaged souls who deserve every piece of happiness they can get their hands on. Jed seemed to be the one who suffered the most so I have to say his mannerisms and ideas were the most tragic.  He was a determined man though, and held a protective instinct that made him so successful in his journey.  When he spoke his rare words of sensitivity towards Jinx, it truly melted my heart.  He is a character that will stay planted in you head and your heart for a long time to come.  The same goes for Jinx.  With her non-filtered speeches, and her brave and fierce persona, Jinx will make you proud.  She has a definite stubbornness though that rivals that of Jed.  These two character have some smoldering scenes together as well as a decent amount of sexually charged back and forth banter. With these characteristics alone,  The Forbidden Claim becomes a truly remarkable story.

I most certainly have to recommend The Forbidden Claim to fans of suspenseful romances with touches of eroticism throughout.  It's contains a deeply emotional storyline that doesn't shy away from issues that plague our world today.  The Forbidden Claim keeps you thinking and wondering throughout with it's intriguing twists and turns.  I found myself clenching my teeth out of anticipation in one chapter while completely swooning over the love that these characters shared in another. This story touched my heart in many ways, and I would love for it to continue in some way shape or form, whether it has to do with the main characters of Jed and Jinx, or even a story about the supporting characters of Lucy or Gil. Kelly Gendron is an author who is talented beyond words with her gift of story telling and I can't wait to read more from her.