Hot for Teacher by Aunt Georgia Lee

Publisher/Date: Onyx Lee Publications; July 2019
Genre(s):  Contemporary Romance
Pages:  308
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Rating: ★★★★☆ 

SYNOPSIS:  The teacher’s pet is a role we have all played at one time, even if it were only in our dreams. The infatuation one has for a mature, authority figure in the form of a classroom teacher makes for the most seductive, forbidden fantasy.

What if the opportunity to experience a romance with your teacher could be more than legal, but perfectly acceptable?

Although Evelyn Hargrove is not Danielle Rivers’ teacher, she does have a lesson for this eager pupil to learn. Their relationship begins with a mutual desire to protect an innocent child, but soon it is their hearts they must guard.

Evelyn, a former classroom teacher turned child psychologist, finds herself thrown into the mysterious drama of a young boy’s disturbing behavior. This leads to an emotional battle between her desire for her young student’s adopted parent and her own struggles with family trauma from the past.

Danielle, a former exotic dancer turned manager of a gentleman’s club, finds herself playing mother to her nephew and longing to play doctor with his guidance counselor. Through their rocky start, these two women tread lightly towards uncovering the truth behind the young boy’s issues and their own secret fears.

Will juggling Evelyn’s role as guidance counselor with a performance as lover, be too hot for teacher?

Hurry up! The bell for first period is about to ring. Don’t be late to get schooled.

Parent-teacher conferences will never look the same after reading HOT FOR TEACHER by Aunt Georgia Lee. This novel explores the attraction between teacher-turned-guidance counselor Evelyn Hargrove and guardian Danielle Rivers as they attempt to maintain a professional relationship. While their priority is Danielle’s 14-year-old nephew Colin, there is no denying that the ladies appreciate what they see at their initial meeting to address issues with the child she co-parents with best friend, Rod.

Once a high-achieving student, Colin now appears to be having performance and disciplinarian issues; his adoption by Danielle two years ago at the request of her sister is a sensitive issue and comes into play when Danielle and Rod step into Ms. Hargrove’s office. They come up with a plan to help Colin that involves additional counseling sessions and enrollment in a summer program to provide direction and support for this vulnerable young boy harboring a secret.

At first, it’s all business, by the book and last names only. From there, each meeting and phone call finds Evelyn and Danielle simultaneously acknowledging and dismissing their feelings, and the slow-burn dance begins.

That slow burn is what I enjoyed most about this novel. Because the romance doesn’t take off right away, it allowed me to get to know Danielle and Evelyn, who are fully-fleshed characters with painful pasts of abandonment and parental drug use. Their motivations are also evident, especially in Danielle’s career as manager of a gentleman’s club and Evelyn’s investment in her work and to her students. The research Aunt Georgia Lee offers to legitimize Evelyn’s work as a counselor is appreciated.

Hot for Teacher has an element I love, the found-family aspect, which speaks to my lesbian heart. I was moved by the origins of Danielle’s relationship with Rod – both ostracized for being queer – and how their joint efforts in providing Colin a stable home has also saved and restored them all in many ways. Evelyn’s own friendgroup allows her to have the family she was robbed of, especially her best friend Tori, who is a pure fool but always has Evelyn’s back.

While it might seem questionable that the pair should be together, when Evelyn and Danielle do get together…. 🔥 🔥 🔥

Though I will say there are some loose ends left unresolved, Hot for Teacher certainly rang my school bells. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist. 😀)

Reviewed August 2020

 

Want to know more about Aunt Georgia Lee? Read the Meet This Sistah Interview

 

 

 

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Surrender by Monique B. T. Thomas

Publisher/Date:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, June 2013
Genre(s):  Romance, Mature Lesbians, Workplace Romance
Pages:  328
Website:  http://authormoniquebeingtruethonas.
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Rating: ★★★★☆ 

SURRENDER: TWO HEARTS AND A RAINBOW SERIES (BOOK 1) reminds me of the Harlequin romance novels I used to read sneakily under the covers at night when I was nine years old: swoon-worthy and full of feels.

That’s not to say that Surrender is a saccharine love story. It has the mature relationships and wisdom expected from Monique B. T. Thomas, the author of several titles including Love Relived and In its Rawest Form. In the start of a new series, Surrender offers workplace romance, criminal mischief, and a charming family storyline. Yet as in all her previous novels, the biggest draw is the chemistry between the main love interests, in this particular case, Robyn Sterling and Kenya Martin.

Robyn and Kenya serve two different stations in Pens & Things. Robyn is the CFO in the office supply company her great-grandfather built during the 1950s, now run by her father. While she toils at keeping the family business in the black, her love life is about avoiding relationships at all costs; the only long-term commitment Robyn values is to Pens & Things. So when the discovery of financial mismanagement in one of its stores launches Robyn, at her father’s request, into a scheme to save Pen & Ink’s bottom line, she’s eager to unearth the root of the store’s issues and get back to her normal routine. That goes awry once she meets Kenya.

A petite, dark-skinned lovely, Kenya is the overnight manager at the store Robyn’s supposed take over. Her job, which she takes seriously, is to handle the early morning deliveries and ensure stock is in place before the shop opens. Untouched by love also, Kenya is a respectful, dedicated and strong-willed worker, but finds herself flustered by Robyn – first by her gruff demeanor, then by her evident attraction to the commanding woman.

This is what sets everything – Robyn’s line of attack, a company cover up, and most importantly Robyn and Kenya’s love affair – into motion, a plot that Thomas handles so swiftly that it keeps the pages flowing.

Again, the best part is the romance brewing between the Pen & Ink employees. Two women who grew up in separate worlds – Robyn with a trust fund, Kenya in a foster home – both not expecting much from love, and finding what they needed in each other. It’s just an enjoyable love story that’s believable and great to immerse yourself in.

The supporting characters, most especially Robyn’s family members, are happy additions to the story. That’s also one of Thomas’ strengths: creating characters that are flawed but endearing.

There are some faults to Surrender – the editing could use work, the ending does wrap up too quickly – but honestly, I can’t wait to see where Part Two in the Two Hearts and a Rainbow series goes. If it’s just as engrossing as this one, I’ll be back to curling up on my couch with a good book.

Reviewed November 2014

Technical Difficulties by Lee Loveless

Publisher/Date:  Lee Loveless, March 2013
Genre(s):  Romance, Erotica
Pages:  33

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

The Plot:  TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES by Lee Loveless establishes that if your cell phone technician looked like Raquel – an olive-toned beauty with hazel eyes – you’d probably find any reason to visit the Verizon store every day. Jackson, though, somehow remains all business around Raquel; she finds Raquel alluring, but too young at 25. At 32 years old, Jackson is a determined, hard-working director of a youth center, who doesn’t take time to smell the roses (or anything else for that matter). Her assistant director, Sharon, is the one who makes her recognize what she’s about miss out on. Can this do-gooder put her grant applications aside long enough to take advantage of another equally satisfying proposition?

The Good:  It’s not just about the sex. Technical Difficulties gives a great back story to the lovers, so that we can see just how much of a workaholic Jackson is or how long Raquel aspired to be an engineering tech. Raquel is a bawse; while Jackson deems Raquel too young for her, but Raquel knows her mind and her worth. She’s a definite catch – one that maybe Jackson ain’t ready for. Throughout Difficulties, the relationship between Raquel and Jackson moves at a good pace for a short story, and Loveless also has a good ear for dialogue.

The Not-So-Good:  The grammar could use some work. Sharon, as the voice of reason for Jackson, can come off a little bawdy sometimes. Though explosively gratifying (ahem…), the ending was abrupt – only because I could have read more about these two.

The Bottom Line: Technical Difficulties, the first of the Happily Ever After series, is willing and able to give you the romantic fix you need. I’m looking forward to devouring more of what Loveless has to offer.

Reviewed September 2013