Review: Overall Sweet Romantic Story ...
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 22, 2012
For full review including excerpt and dialogue highlight, please visit Reader's Edyn at:readersedyn (dot) blogspot (dot) comReview:So I decided to read this book knowing absolutely nothing about it or the author. I made my decision based entirely on the fact that it is published by Decadent. Says a lot, yes? Anyway, I have been reading some pretty descriptive stories lately so I was a bit taken back by this book because I guess I was expecting a little more in the way of intimacy. That said, I still very much enjoyed the story and ended up really liking the break from the descriptive sex I generally read about. As far as the senses, it is nice to step outside of your usual genres ever-so-often to keep from becoming over sensitized.Natasha is a bit of a player. Shuffled in and out of the foster care system as a child, she ends up feeling alone all of the time. Even surrounded by people, she still craves the connection to another person that she has been missing all of her life. Unsure how to meet the need, she turns to a life of parties and one night stands. But life in the fast lane at college back fires on her and before too long her reputation becomes widely known. To make matters worse, het heart is now linked to a man who is strictly off limits.Jason is a professor and a bit of a gaming nerd. He connected with a student not too long ago and now is contemplating his next move. The lure of Natasha is becoming more than he can bear and at this point he faces getting fired if he does make a move, or just getting the hell away from the situation before something irreversible happens. Consequently he is now looking at quitting teaching to work full time for the gaming company he now moonlights with. But a chance change of holiday plans throws Jason and Natasha together and the idea of walking away from her seems impossible. If only he could get past her bad girl, sleep around reputation.Funny thing. I generally have a problem with reading any story that has a teacher/student connection within a romantic relationship simply because it seems wrong to me. But this time around, I didn't have that problem. I think possibly part of that is attributed to the description of the characters; most especially Jason. He is only 30 and is a bit of a nerd, but a heavy and knowledgeable gamer. Both characters seem young and vibrant and don't give off the professor/pupil vibe that generally turns me off. Also, while expecting more in the way of a sexual encounter, I found myself pleasantly surprised that there wasn't an actual intimate act that took place within the few pages of this novella. That too helped facilitate my further enjoyment of this book. In the end, sex wasn't necessary and may have compromised Natasha's character given her "changes" made in light of her love for Jason. Secondary character is a nice addition to the mix as one who knows Natasha possibly better than she knows herself.I would classify this book as a sweet contemporary romance, but I noticed that is classified as a new adult contemporary romance. To be honest, I have not an inkling of what this genre entails. I have seen it before, but having never read one before, I just looked past it. I now have a reason to find out more about this genre. While I generally prefer more smutty reads, when I need a break from such reads, I will definitely be seeking Ms. Haygert out again. For those of you who love your HEA's, but have more of a delicate sensibility, this book is definitely for you. The characters are likeable and at around 40 pages, you can read it quickly for a nice escape. And those of you that aren't quite so delicate, this story could be a nice change of pace for you. Overall an enjoyable read!(eBook copy provided by author/tour company in exchange for an honest review.)