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Nola Li Barr
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Forbidden Blossom: A Romantic Family Saga (Skyline Mansion Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Nola Li Barr (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 144 ratings
See all formats and editions

What would you do if you inherited billions from a total stranger?

2010
Anne Huang never cared to call anywhere home. But her carefree lifestyle of blogging and travel is interrupted when a stranger with ties to her family bequeaths her a fortune. And with no knowledge of her history, she soon finds herself thrown in with a nest of billionaire vipers determined to lock away their skeletons.

Confronted by jealous rivals, Anne battles distrust and hidden agendas as she tries to understand more about her birthright and learns the value of love.

1946
Seventeen-year-old Rose Chen’s quiet life is shattered when she’s dragged from Taiwan and forced to immigrate to the U.S. Her nightmare continues when she arrives in San Francisco, only to be shipped off by her parents to serve in a wealthy American’s household. But her dutiful-daughter status soon comes under threat when her risky friendship with her white employer’s son transforms into something taboo.

As Rose wrestles with her complicated feelings in a private journal, she unwittingly leaves a stunning legacy to a granddaughter she’ll never know…

Can their lives come full circle to close one door and open another?

Forbidden Blossom is the heartfelt first book in the Skyline Mansion family saga. If you like soul-searching heroines, paths to self-discovery, and stories of perseverance and inner strength, then you’ll adore this generation-spanning tale.

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Skyline Mansion
  2. Print length
    276 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    June 20, 2021
  6. File size
    3372 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

"Series Complete" tree and roof of house
balcony of house
"What if you inherited billions from a total stranger? covers of books

Editorial Reviews

Review

Forbidden Blossom is a simple, fun, and easy-to-read book that poses some interesting questions about who we are, racism, sexism, and the anti-immigrant and especially anti-Asian rhetoric that has infected America far longer than just since the Covid-19 crisis. Author Nola Li Barr has undoubtedly drawn on her own experiences in formulating the young, feisty character of Anne Huang, easy to empathize with and root for but by the same token, on occasions, her extreme naivety gave her a deeper, more complex personality. I appreciated the split nature of the narrative that was told through Anne's perceptions of the current time and Rose's eyes, through her journals, back in the 1940s. This certainly gave the story the extra dimension it needed. The romantic angle in the story was subtle and readers will still be left wondering about Sebastian's true motives. This conflict of interest was one of the highlights of the narrative. The latest family secret revealed at the end sets the stage perfectly for the second book and I'm excited to discover what new twists Anne, her mother, and Sebastian will discover on their forthcoming journey to Taiwan. I enjoyed this easy read and can highly recommend it.

- Grant Leishman with Readers' Favorite (5 Stars)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0951DDSZW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tapioca Press (June 20, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 20, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3372 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 276 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1732781443
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 144 ratings

About the author

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Nola Li Barr

Nola Li Barr

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Nola Li Barr writes sweet family saga romances. Both in contemporary and paranormal settings. She writes stories she would love to read herself and loves exploring family dynamics with her characters. In the hopes of sharing her stories with her kids sooner than later, her romances are always sweet with a happily ever after. When she’s not writing she can be found reading, making photo books, and navigating the path of motherhood.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
144 global ratings
A heart wrenching story of family secrets
5 Stars
A heart wrenching story of family secrets
This story is not your usual romance as it covers racial prejudice with brutal honesty. The story is very bittersweet, in that the main character in the past storyline is denied love due to the fact that she is not American, but rather Chinese. We follow the story from the perspective of her granddaughter, Anne, who unbeknownst to her, never knew the true story of her grandmother's life or the heartbreak of the past. Not only does Anne deal with revealing family secrets, but she also has to deal with her sudden billion dollar inheritance as well as prejudice and dislike from her extended family.This story has many themes and issues, all intertwined into a heartbreaking, emotional story. I enjoyed the writer's style. She can carry the story on dialogue alone, which is a very difficult skill to master. For originality, story arcs, and authentic characters (both present and past), this was a well-deserved five stars.
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Top reviews from the United States

Corina Douglas
5.0 out of 5 stars A heart wrenching story of family secrets
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2020
Verified Purchase
This story is not your usual romance as it covers racial prejudice with brutal honesty. The story is very bittersweet, in that the main character in the past storyline is denied love due to the fact that she is not American, but rather Chinese. We follow the story from the perspective of her granddaughter, Anne, who unbeknownst to her, never knew the true story of her grandmother's life or the heartbreak of the past. Not only does Anne deal with revealing family secrets, but she also has to deal with her sudden billion dollar inheritance as well as prejudice and dislike from her extended family.

This story has many themes and issues, all intertwined into a heartbreaking, emotional story. I enjoyed the writer's style. She can carry the story on dialogue alone, which is a very difficult skill to master. For originality, story arcs, and authentic characters (both present and past), this was a well-deserved five stars.
Customer image
Corina Douglas
5.0 out of 5 stars A heart wrenching story of family secrets
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2020
This story is not your usual romance as it covers racial prejudice with brutal honesty. The story is very bittersweet, in that the main character in the past storyline is denied love due to the fact that she is not American, but rather Chinese. We follow the story from the perspective of her granddaughter, Anne, who unbeknownst to her, never knew the true story of her grandmother's life or the heartbreak of the past. Not only does Anne deal with revealing family secrets, but she also has to deal with her sudden billion dollar inheritance as well as prejudice and dislike from her extended family.

This story has many themes and issues, all intertwined into a heartbreaking, emotional story. I enjoyed the writer's style. She can carry the story on dialogue alone, which is a very difficult skill to master. For originality, story arcs, and authentic characters (both present and past), this was a well-deserved five stars.
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5 people found this helpful
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History Hound
4.0 out of 5 stars Get Her Due.
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2018
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Never before have I read a book that felt as though an arrow was fired from the first few chapters, high and toward an unknown horizon. As the arc of the arrow's flight continued the protagonist rushes wildly to catch up to this arrow as it flies through the sky, clouds, history, journals, evil/greedy characters she runs swiftly to keep up with a story that is part of her family history, yet one that she never knew. As the arrow descends it hits several bullseyes. It shows that greed runs toward the wealthy, that good, just people often prevail, history can repeat in new ways, and ultimately she catches the arrow and points it toward, what I hope will be, another book with these characters. The story is rich and there is the hope that the antagonists will get their due (and a full and complete fleshing out), in the next title by this new author.
2 people found this helpful
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Lisa D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery, Intrigue, and Romance
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2021
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Everything I love in a novel!

What if you unexpectedly inherited a mind-boggling fortune? It may sound like a dream come true, but the staggering inheritance Anne Huang receives upends her life and comes with more questions about her family history than it answers. In the process of trying to find a way to fit comfortably into her new circumstances, Anne discovers her grandmother’s diaries. The journals provide many of the details of her grandmother’s life that Anne always wanted to know, but they also bring up more and more questions for her. At least Anne’s new situation also comes with an ally in the form of her benefactor’s intriguing and attractive lawyer.

Barr does a beautiful job weaving the threads of Anne’s and her grandmother’s stories together, perfectly balancing a past and present narrative that keeps you riveted to the last page. Can’t wait for more to come in this YA series.
One person found this helpful
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Sarah
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Storytelling
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2021
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Intrigue, drama, and romance run through this poignant tale that intertwines the past with the present. The author does a wonderful job of addressing difficult and sensitive topics (including race and socio-economic status) with grace and understanding in this family saga that unearths family secrets—including a perceived forbidden love that has consequences for multiple generations of family members. I found myself quickly devouring page after page to find out what happens to Anne, the strong and highly relatable female protagonist. This is a delightful book that takes you away for a brief time through a tightly woven plot, strong characters, and vivid descriptions. I highly recommend this book!
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Elizabeth Bracken
3.0 out of 5 stars Debut novel for Nola Li Barr!
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Nola Li Barr debuts her first novel about a Chinese American girl who inherits an immense fortune from an unknown benefactor. She discovers that a trunk of her grandmother’s journals are now in her possession and these answer many questions but leave her with many more unanswered ones. The novel is rich in detail about Chinese culture for the newly arrived immigrants. The story is written from the point of view of only Anne. It also seems to be set up perfectly for a sequel. This book should appeal to the YA reader who will enjoy the fantasy and romance. It will be fun to watch this author hone her story-telling skills.
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery and romance.
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
The story was a great blend of suspenseful mystery and romance. The characters were interesting and well drawn. I was captivated from beginning to end. Great job!
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Devon D'Ewart
5.0 out of 5 stars A page-turner that takes you away
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2019
Verified Purchase
Need a fun and well-written page turner? This book was absolutely the necessary distraction to get me through the cold weather of winter -- I made sure it was always in my purse in case I could find a free moment to read more!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story about a strong, young woman finding her place in the world with some intrigue, drama, and romance in the mix. I especially appreciated the narrator’s POV; it made me realize how few fictional accounts I have read from the American Born Chinese voice. Than you Nola Li Barr, for helping us to imagine and feel what it must be like to grow up in America as an ABC woman. This story is intelligent and thoughtful, with a good deal of lightness and joy (what would you do if you inherited the world’s most amazing mansion and money beyond your wildest dreams?). Can’t wait to read more work from this new author. I was sad when the book was over.
One person found this helpful
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Mise
5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpected inheritance.
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
I like exploring different genres and perspectives in fiction. This book, Forbidden Blossom, explores issues of race and romance in a gently-paced storyline.

Anne, an American Born Chinese, suddenly finds herself the recipient of a large inheritance from someone she didn't know. Why did the wealthy stranger name her in his will? Finding out the answer leads Anne down a path to discovering her family's roots as immigrants to the USA.

I think anyone who enjoys a human story written in a calm style could enjoy this book, which apparently is the first in a series.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

A Wai
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and heartfelt!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2021
Verified Purchase
From the very beginning, I was drawn into Anne's world. Didn't want to put it down until I reached the end. Wonderfully intriguing and highly emotive, I viewed the world through the characters eyes. I can't wait to read the next book in this captivating series!
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Paul James
4.0 out of 5 stars A Mysterious Inheritance and the Reasons Behind it
Reviewed in Canada on December 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
A surprise, and huge, inheritance sets a young Chinese-American girl, Anne, seeking answers from the past. Surprise inheritances may be wonderful for the recipient but not for those who were expecting it to go to them. Will Anne learn the truth and win the man of her dreams before the disappointed family overturn the Will? Read Forbidden Blossom and find out.
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Ian Worrall Author of No Remorse No Regret
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look over three generations
Reviewed in Canada on December 2, 2018
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The book provided a fascinating look into three generations of two different families. One exceedingly rich and the other working class and how they intertwined over the years. Sad how the first of the three generations could not have the love they wanted and how it continued to affect the ones that followed.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 8, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a beautifully written book, imaginative, intelligent and gripping. Nola does an excellent job of exploring socio-economic status and cultural differences. I couldn’t put this book down! Definitely a must-read!
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GBD
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2019
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A beautiful book, so well written.
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