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Veiled Innocence
Tick, tick, tock.
Time.
That’s all I have now.
A small room, a photograph, and time.
They want me to trust them and confess my sins.
They told me they wouldn't judge me—they lied.
I thought we could convince the world that this wasn't a crime.
We were wrong.
Time doesn't stand still.
The clock keeps ticking, the world is unconvinced, and now…
Now he is gone.
Time.
That’s all I have now.
A small room, a photograph, and time.
They want me to trust them and confess my sins.
They told me they wouldn't judge me—they lied.
I thought we could convince the world that this wasn't a crime.
We were wrong.
Time doesn't stand still.
The clock keeps ticking, the world is unconvinced, and now…
Now he is gone.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2014
About the author
Ella Frank
76 books8,277 followersElla Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite Preslocke series. Her Prime Time series has been praised as “highly entertaining!” and “sexy as hell!”
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction. Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.Ella is represented by:
Kimberly Brower
Brower Literary & Management
kimberly@browerliterary.com
A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction. Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.Ella is represented by:
Kimberly Brower
Brower Literary & Management
kimberly@browerliterary.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,259 reviews
July 4, 2016
6 Not so innocent Stars
WOW
If this book isn't proof that Ella Frank is an incredible writer, I'm not sure what is. This had to be hands down, bar none, one of the best Student/Teacher romances I have ever read. The writing, the story, the characters; I can't even put into words what this book did to me. But if I really had to try?
Captivating
Nail biting
Erotic
Spellbinding
Emotional
COMPLETELY UNPUTDOWNABLE
If you're a fan of this author, this book is a must read. And if you've never read anything by her, than this book will have you putting her on your auto-buy list.
This will be a spoiler free review. I'm doing you a favor, believe me, because this is a book that simply has to be experienced.
The story captures you from the very beginning. Miss Frank gives you just a little taste of what's to come that will leave you sitting on pins and needles the entire time you're reading. You know that something happens, but you don't know what or when. You know where Addison ends up, but you don't know how. This book gave me the worst case of anxiety EVAR. I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happens next, and at the same time I was completely terrified of it happening.
Addison is a senior in high school, but she's not the typical young heroine you'd find yourself reading about. She's not shy, she's not even remotely meek, she's no virginal ingenue, and she's certainly not suffering from a low self esteem.
She has the perfect looks, the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect everything...or does she? Behind the veil of perfection, lost somewhere in the shadows of her darkest dreams, is a broken girl with a painful secret
But then everything changes when she comes to her first day of class and sees him.
When Addison lays eyes on her history teacher, Mr. McKendrick, she knows that she has to have him. And she pursues him relentlessly, without any shame, using her entire arsenal of incredible looks, charisma and sexual temptation.
The story is told in dual first person POV. As much as I loved being inside Addison's head, being able to see inside his head is what ultimately made this book. You feel his struggle to stay away from this girl. You feel how mcuh he fights it, how hard he tries, only to give into what you already know is inevitable.
Reading about their relationship was like watching a car crash about to happen and being powerless to stop it. You know that the odds are stacked against them, you know that the relationship is doomed. But at the same time you have NO FUCKING CLUE how or when. But you know that it will.
The book is told in alternate flashbacks from present to past. Ella Frank took two broken characters and alternating between erotic and emotionally charged, weaved it into an unforgettable, keep you at the edge of your seat story of a forbidden love.
If you've read her books in the past, you know that she can write a 'melt the panties right off of you' love scene. And this was definitely no exception. The two of them together was pure scorching hotness.
I was stuck between trying to drag this book out as long as I can because I didn't want it to end and not being able to put it down because I simply had to know what happens next.
It was simply perfect.
This is a book that I cannot recommend enough. It will steal your breath, capture your heart and break it all at once. It's just one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. I feel the mother of all book hangovers coming on after this.
Read it. Experience it. Fall in love with it.
Ella, I may be running on 3 hrs of sleep and too much coffee and my nails might be chewed to shit with the amount of anxiety this story gave me, but DAMN, woman! I will now forever worship at the altar of your awesomeness.
**ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review**
Find me on:
He'd calmed me when no one else could.
He'd saved me from myself.
If only they knew the truth...
But no one is listening, and his time is already up.
Tick, tick, tock.
WOW
If this book isn't proof that Ella Frank is an incredible writer, I'm not sure what is. This had to be hands down, bar none, one of the best Student/Teacher romances I have ever read. The writing, the story, the characters; I can't even put into words what this book did to me. But if I really had to try?
Captivating
Nail biting
Erotic
Spellbinding
Emotional
COMPLETELY UNPUTDOWNABLE
If you're a fan of this author, this book is a must read. And if you've never read anything by her, than this book will have you putting her on your auto-buy list.
This will be a spoiler free review. I'm doing you a favor, believe me, because this is a book that simply has to be experienced.
The story captures you from the very beginning. Miss Frank gives you just a little taste of what's to come that will leave you sitting on pins and needles the entire time you're reading. You know that something happens, but you don't know what or when. You know where Addison ends up, but you don't know how. This book gave me the worst case of anxiety EVAR. I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happens next, and at the same time I was completely terrified of it happening.
Addison is a senior in high school, but she's not the typical young heroine you'd find yourself reading about. She's not shy, she's not even remotely meek, she's no virginal ingenue, and she's certainly not suffering from a low self esteem.
She has the perfect looks, the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect everything...or does she? Behind the veil of perfection, lost somewhere in the shadows of her darkest dreams, is a broken girl with a painful secret
But then everything changes when she comes to her first day of class and sees him.
When Addison lays eyes on her history teacher, Mr. McKendrick, she knows that she has to have him. And she pursues him relentlessly, without any shame, using her entire arsenal of incredible looks, charisma and sexual temptation.
The story is told in dual first person POV. As much as I loved being inside Addison's head, being able to see inside his head is what ultimately made this book. You feel his struggle to stay away from this girl. You feel how mcuh he fights it, how hard he tries, only to give into what you already know is inevitable.
"You're all I fucking see, Addison. When I close my eyes, when I open them, when I'm teaching. You're. There. All. The. Fucking. Time.
Sometimes I wish I'd never seen you."
Reading about their relationship was like watching a car crash about to happen and being powerless to stop it. You know that the odds are stacked against them, you know that the relationship is doomed. But at the same time you have NO FUCKING CLUE how or when. But you know that it will.
The book is told in alternate flashbacks from present to past. Ella Frank took two broken characters and alternating between erotic and emotionally charged, weaved it into an unforgettable, keep you at the edge of your seat story of a forbidden love.
If you've read her books in the past, you know that she can write a 'melt the panties right off of you' love scene. And this was definitely no exception. The two of them together was pure scorching hotness.
I was stuck between trying to drag this book out as long as I can because I didn't want it to end and not being able to put it down because I simply had to know what happens next.
It was simply perfect.
Life is full of ironies, because with him, I'd never felt more alive.
This is a book that I cannot recommend enough. It will steal your breath, capture your heart and break it all at once. It's just one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. I feel the mother of all book hangovers coming on after this.
Read it. Experience it. Fall in love with it.
Ella, I may be running on 3 hrs of sleep and too much coffee and my nails might be chewed to shit with the amount of anxiety this story gave me, but DAMN, woman! I will now forever worship at the altar of your awesomeness.
**ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review**
Find me on:
April 23, 2014
4.5 Tick, tick, tock stars!
Man.
Woman.
Teacher.
Student.
Attraction.
Forbidden.
Lust.
Temptation.
There is just something about a forbidden love story. It gives me that taboo feeling and I am a sucker for them. Ella Frank is an incredible author. I am always impressed with not only her writing, but her story telling and originality. I loved that this wasn’t your ‘typical’ student/teacher romance.
Addison is a stickler for time. Always watching the clock, being on time, being in control. But for some reason, she was late for her first day of history class. History class with her new, young and very attractive teacher, Mr. McKendrick. Once Addison sees him, it’s over. She has to have him. Addison is that girl in high school. The gorgeous girl with the body of a woman. The one who appears to have the perfect life, but her life is anything but perfect.
Grayson McKendrick never saw himself teaching high school history, he’d rather be off traveling the world, but family brought him here. Grayson can tell Addison is attracted to him. She makes that very clear. And he is attracted to her. No red blooded man wouldn’t be. But he can’t do anything about it. He is her teacher- he knows it’s ‘not right’. Addison is oh so tempting to him...
Resisting becomes harder and harder for Grayson. Their relationship slowly crosses lines. Little by little things get blurred.
Veiled Innocence goes back and forth from present to past. Many times I found myself wondering what events could have possibly taken place to land us here. Slowly, things started to unravel and you found out. One of the best things about this story is it’s written in dual pov. It’s hard to truly enjoy a book like this without being in both of the characters heads. It gives you so much more insight.
Waiting for the big event kept me on edge. I was biting my nails, nervous as can be to find out what was going to happen. I love when books can draw me in like that. Now to the characters- Grayson was your typical younger and sexy teacher, but there was something different about him. Something sincere. I liked that he tried to resist temptation. He didn’t go after a young and vulnerable girl and try to take advantage. He wasn’t that type of guy. He was one of the good ones. He was just in a lose-lose situation. Addison was not the typical heroine I usually like, but for some reason I really did like her. She was bold and shameless when she went after Mr. McKendrick. At first it was just an attraction, but later it became more. After finding out all she’d been through, it made me feel for her.
Ella Frank did not disappoint with her newest read. It was very enjoyable, the writing was excellent and it put a unique spin on the whole student/teacher overdone story line. I found the characters fascinating and the sexy scenes were smoldering. The plot was interesting and overall, I was happy with the way things turned out.
Man.
Woman.
Teacher.
Student.
Attraction.
Forbidden.
Lust.
Temptation.
There is just something about a forbidden love story. It gives me that taboo feeling and I am a sucker for them. Ella Frank is an incredible author. I am always impressed with not only her writing, but her story telling and originality. I loved that this wasn’t your ‘typical’ student/teacher romance.
“I looked at her- she looked at me.
My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.”
Addison is a stickler for time. Always watching the clock, being on time, being in control. But for some reason, she was late for her first day of history class. History class with her new, young and very attractive teacher, Mr. McKendrick. Once Addison sees him, it’s over. She has to have him. Addison is that girl in high school. The gorgeous girl with the body of a woman. The one who appears to have the perfect life, but her life is anything but perfect.
Grayson McKendrick never saw himself teaching high school history, he’d rather be off traveling the world, but family brought him here. Grayson can tell Addison is attracted to him. She makes that very clear. And he is attracted to her. No red blooded man wouldn’t be. But he can’t do anything about it. He is her teacher- he knows it’s ‘not right’. Addison is oh so tempting to him...
“I think about you all the time. I can't stop."
Shaking my head, I ran my palm over my wet face. This couldn't be happening to me. I would not allow it. I knew better.
"Addison, it's natural to form attachments to your teachers."
"Is it natural to picture them fucking you?”
Resisting becomes harder and harder for Grayson. Their relationship slowly crosses lines. Little by little things get blurred.
“Stop it.”Grayson may just be everything Addison needs. Her life has been in turmoil for years. Ever since one incident turned it upside down. He might just be the man she needs to save her from herself.
“Make me,” I challenged.
His voice was barley audible as he admitted, “I can’t.”
Veiled Innocence goes back and forth from present to past. Many times I found myself wondering what events could have possibly taken place to land us here. Slowly, things started to unravel and you found out. One of the best things about this story is it’s written in dual pov. It’s hard to truly enjoy a book like this without being in both of the characters heads. It gives you so much more insight.
Waiting for the big event kept me on edge. I was biting my nails, nervous as can be to find out what was going to happen. I love when books can draw me in like that. Now to the characters- Grayson was your typical younger and sexy teacher, but there was something different about him. Something sincere. I liked that he tried to resist temptation. He didn’t go after a young and vulnerable girl and try to take advantage. He wasn’t that type of guy. He was one of the good ones. He was just in a lose-lose situation. Addison was not the typical heroine I usually like, but for some reason I really did like her. She was bold and shameless when she went after Mr. McKendrick. At first it was just an attraction, but later it became more. After finding out all she’d been through, it made me feel for her.
Ella Frank did not disappoint with her newest read. It was very enjoyable, the writing was excellent and it put a unique spin on the whole student/teacher overdone story line. I found the characters fascinating and the sexy scenes were smoldering. The plot was interesting and overall, I was happy with the way things turned out.
January 11, 2021
The heart wants what it wants—age be damned.
This is one of my best reads in 2016!!!
Bukowski once wrote, find what you love and let it kill you.
You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequence of your choice.
Wow... just wow! This is one of the best books I have read in not only 2016, but in all my life.
Its storytelling is amazing. It is written in such an impressive way that it keeps your attention the entire time. The present and past follow one another in such a fluent way that such a clever way of writing will surely amaze you.
***
The writing is dual point of view but do not expect a name showing who that chapter is told by. It is interwoven and one continues where the other one leaves. No names are given to help you but it is still easy to follow if you pay attention. As I said, the book never lets you lose your attention.
***
While reading this book, you should be somewhere quiet where nothing spoils your concentration. Audio books aren’t recommended because this intricate story requires your utmost attention all the time. You can’t skip one sentence because pieces of a big puzzle are given like breadcrumbs all the time and you have to gather all the information carefully together.
The story begins at a time of crisis.
Think of it like this: You are jumping into a story at %70 at its peak point. Our heroine, Addison, is in a psychiatric facility, talking to a doctor.
Then back and forth, the book gives us flashbacks of the past events that lead to the crisis today and the story also moves on at present time.
Not only wondering what events could have caused the heroine to end up in this situation kept me on edge all the time but I was also on pins and needles, fearing for the future consequences.
Gradually, things added up and as the story unfolded, I began to understand the whole picture.
The forbidden
This is a book about a forbidden affair between a teacher who is 32 years old and his student who is 18 years old. It is not a typical teacher-student romance, it is unique as far as both its content and writing style are concerned.
It is told by dual point of view and we can go into the minds and hearts of both characters.
This is not only a book you read but also a journey to take and an experience to feel. I loved every moment of it.
Characters
In this book, Addison is a broken and damaged girl with a trauma in her past and although she has an angelic beauty, she is a relentless girl who sets her mind on her teacher as soon as she sees him and does everything possible until she seduces him. He stands no chance.
I looked at her - she looked at me. My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.
I was fucked. With a capital fucking F. Coming here tonight had been a terrible idea, and now that I was seated in the bleachers tempted by my own personal version of Eve, I knew, if offered, I’d be biting that fucking apple.
Who was I kidding? She’d already offered. All I had to do was bite.
Grayson, on the other hand, is no typical teacher. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t a teacher, he was travelling Europe taking photographs. He came here because his father was sick and dying and he took the job of teaching art history in a college as a temporary job.
His looks are not like the classical teacher. He has long brown hair which he sometimes wears in a bun. He is as hot as rock stars or cover models. He is like every teenage girl’s dream man.
Grayson fights his attraction for Addison for a while but as no red-blooded man can, he also can’t resist Addison's breathtaking beauty and persistent seduction and he finally gives in.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
Their relationship is like watching a car crash in slow motion. You know they will hit one another, you know there will be big damage and casualties but you have to sit still and watch, not being able to do anything.
“I don’t want to be pitied because of what I represent to you and every other outraged parent in our community.”
“And what do you think you represent, Addison?” asks Doc.
“The poor little girl who was seduced by the big bad wolf.”
I can tell I’m right. He has nothing to say, and once again, neither do I.
What he doesn't understand is that there isn't a poor little girl, just a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hiding in plain sight—standing right before his very eyes.
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
Tick, tick, tock.”
After a trauma in her past, Addison has developed an obsession with time. She feels as if she has to check the time, either on her wristwatch or on the clock on the wall all the time to make sure she is not once again "late" and the “tick tock tick tock” never stops in her mind.
There is a constant ticking she always hears and that voice only stops when she is with Grayson. He brings her peace, she feels safe and the “ticking” stops with him.
She also counts numbers when she is nervous, “one, two, three, one, two, three”. That stops with him, too.
For the first time, I saw everything clearly. With him, the ticking had stopped... His voice had the ability to make all of the noise inside my head cease. Grayson had the ability to make me forget... With Grayson, my mind was at peace. ... madness had disappeared.
***
How could it be that the only semblance of peace for me was with someone I wasn’t allowed to have?
Grayson also has his own drama with his father. He is dying...
The affair between Grayson and Addison begins with lust first, then they find more in each other.
HOT HOT HOT!
Their attraction and chemistry is off the charts and the love scenes are unique and beautifully written. They are intense and hot (sizzling hot!) and mesmerizing.
I tend to skip some love scenes in books if they are the same as in other books but the ones in this book are amazing, they are to be re-read and re-read, believe me!
Kudos to Ms. Frank, this is how it is written. This is how you make the readers feel the sexual chemistry between the characters. This is how intimate scenes are written! Perfect! Bravo!
“I want to see you again,” I told him. “I want you to see me.”
“Trust me, I do see you,” he stressed. “You’re all I fucking see, Addison. When I close my eyes, when I open them, when I’m teaching. You’re. There. All. The. Fucking. Time.” He rubbed his face. “Sometimes I wish I’d never seen you.”
***
“Jesus, Addison. I thought you were perfect before. Now I fucking know it.”
Finally, they fall in love and in doing so, they try to save one another.
But how can they, when one is forbidden for the other?
How can they, when everyone is against them and when their affair is illicit?
They were “the right people for one another” who met at the “wrong time in the wrong place.”
How can they make it right when everything seems so wrong to the world?
Guilty. Yes, I was fucking guilty. Guilty of loving the wrong person at the wrong time.
***
“I never knew that I’d risk everything, even my freedom, just to touch someone. Just to touch you.”
***
She licked her juicy lips, and the look on her face would have brought a saint to his knees. I was only human.
***
“I’m going to have you,” she promised, and the words sent a thrill down my spine. Promise or threat?
Pulling my hand away from the shelf, I gripped her hair and arched her neck back. My lips hovered over hers. “You are going to ruin me.”
That was when she did the unexpected. She placed her palm over my heart and tapped - One, two, three. One, two, three - before whispering, “You’re going to save me.”
***
As I stood at the front of the class introducing the course, I waited for my morals and drummed-in ethics to assert themselves. To remind me that I wasn’t supposed to be affected by a student’s inspection.
Thirty minutes later, and I was still waiting.
***
Temptation be damned. I’d given in long ago. She was now my very own personal sin.
***
“You are definitely persistent once you set your mind to something.”
“I set my mind on you” she said.
“I know. I never stood a chance.”
***
Fuck, I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell.
***
The perfection, however, was marred. Not in a horrible disfigured way but on a deep subconscious level. She searched my face, for what I wasn’t sure, and continued to count - one, two, three - in a way that I would never stop hearing.
This girl was damaged. Why hadn’t I seen that?
She was broken, and some part of me wanted to fix her.
***
I know I would do it all again for just one more kiss from you.
I ask one thing of you before I go. Please understand that you were never my monster. You, Addison, will always be my Psyche.
***
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.
***
The ticking was back.
We were over.
Time was no longer standing still.
He’s gone and it’s back...
Tick, tick, tock.
***
I’d had that once, during the blind acceptance of youth, until one shattering moment ripped it all away to reveal it was nothing but veiled innocence.
The way the plot unravels is awesome and the way the book ends is even more awesome. Just brilliant !
Although I needed more time with them, I was happy with that HFN ending :)
Well, this is a really must-read book and I highly recommend it. Many thanks to Ella Frank for this beautiful book...
*****************************************
* Addition as of 07.02.2019 after my re-read of the book:
Safety:
I wasn't including a safety section in my reviews in the past. That habit started later on when I saw some of my friends needed safety details. So now, after my re-read of this beauty with my friend Sanzida, I am now adding safety details.
- She is 18 and a student; he is 32 and he is the teacher. So there is this forbidden vibe to it, apparently.
- There is a sex scene of the heroine with OM at the beginning of the book. It's cut short, not much detail. It happens before she meets the hero.
- After she meets the hero and starts to pursue him, there is one more act of intimacy of hers with that other guy - it is not shown, just told by her but still she did it. So decide if it is safe for you or not.
- He pushes away, she pursues him - relentlessly! She does everything to seduce him until he finally gives in. She is brazen, daring and seductive! He resists as long as he can until he ultimately can't.
- He is not a man-wh*re or something like that. He doesn't even look at any other woman and feel anything for them all along the book. He only has eyes for her!
This is one of my best reads in 2016!!!
Bukowski once wrote, find what you love and let it kill you.
You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequence of your choice.
Wow... just wow! This is one of the best books I have read in not only 2016, but in all my life.
Its storytelling is amazing. It is written in such an impressive way that it keeps your attention the entire time. The present and past follow one another in such a fluent way that such a clever way of writing will surely amaze you.
***
The writing is dual point of view but do not expect a name showing who that chapter is told by. It is interwoven and one continues where the other one leaves. No names are given to help you but it is still easy to follow if you pay attention. As I said, the book never lets you lose your attention.
***
While reading this book, you should be somewhere quiet where nothing spoils your concentration. Audio books aren’t recommended because this intricate story requires your utmost attention all the time. You can’t skip one sentence because pieces of a big puzzle are given like breadcrumbs all the time and you have to gather all the information carefully together.
The story begins at a time of crisis.
Think of it like this: You are jumping into a story at %70 at its peak point. Our heroine, Addison, is in a psychiatric facility, talking to a doctor.
Then back and forth, the book gives us flashbacks of the past events that lead to the crisis today and the story also moves on at present time.
Not only wondering what events could have caused the heroine to end up in this situation kept me on edge all the time but I was also on pins and needles, fearing for the future consequences.
Gradually, things added up and as the story unfolded, I began to understand the whole picture.
The forbidden
This is a book about a forbidden affair between a teacher who is 32 years old and his student who is 18 years old. It is not a typical teacher-student romance, it is unique as far as both its content and writing style are concerned.
It is told by dual point of view and we can go into the minds and hearts of both characters.
This is not only a book you read but also a journey to take and an experience to feel. I loved every moment of it.
Characters
In this book, Addison is a broken and damaged girl with a trauma in her past and although she has an angelic beauty, she is a relentless girl who sets her mind on her teacher as soon as she sees him and does everything possible until she seduces him. He stands no chance.
I looked at her - she looked at me. My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.
I was fucked. With a capital fucking F. Coming here tonight had been a terrible idea, and now that I was seated in the bleachers tempted by my own personal version of Eve, I knew, if offered, I’d be biting that fucking apple.
Who was I kidding? She’d already offered. All I had to do was bite.
Grayson, on the other hand, is no typical teacher. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t a teacher, he was travelling Europe taking photographs. He came here because his father was sick and dying and he took the job of teaching art history in a college as a temporary job.
His looks are not like the classical teacher. He has long brown hair which he sometimes wears in a bun. He is as hot as rock stars or cover models. He is like every teenage girl’s dream man.
Grayson fights his attraction for Addison for a while but as no red-blooded man can, he also can’t resist Addison's breathtaking beauty and persistent seduction and he finally gives in.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
Their relationship is like watching a car crash in slow motion. You know they will hit one another, you know there will be big damage and casualties but you have to sit still and watch, not being able to do anything.
“I don’t want to be pitied because of what I represent to you and every other outraged parent in our community.”
“And what do you think you represent, Addison?” asks Doc.
“The poor little girl who was seduced by the big bad wolf.”
I can tell I’m right. He has nothing to say, and once again, neither do I.
What he doesn't understand is that there isn't a poor little girl, just a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hiding in plain sight—standing right before his very eyes.
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
Tick, tick, tock.”
After a trauma in her past, Addison has developed an obsession with time. She feels as if she has to check the time, either on her wristwatch or on the clock on the wall all the time to make sure she is not once again "late" and the “tick tock tick tock” never stops in her mind.
There is a constant ticking she always hears and that voice only stops when she is with Grayson. He brings her peace, she feels safe and the “ticking” stops with him.
She also counts numbers when she is nervous, “one, two, three, one, two, three”. That stops with him, too.
For the first time, I saw everything clearly. With him, the ticking had stopped... His voice had the ability to make all of the noise inside my head cease. Grayson had the ability to make me forget... With Grayson, my mind was at peace. ... madness had disappeared.
***
How could it be that the only semblance of peace for me was with someone I wasn’t allowed to have?
Grayson also has his own drama with his father. He is dying...
The affair between Grayson and Addison begins with lust first, then they find more in each other.
HOT HOT HOT!
Their attraction and chemistry is off the charts and the love scenes are unique and beautifully written. They are intense and hot (sizzling hot!) and mesmerizing.
I tend to skip some love scenes in books if they are the same as in other books but the ones in this book are amazing, they are to be re-read and re-read, believe me!
Kudos to Ms. Frank, this is how it is written. This is how you make the readers feel the sexual chemistry between the characters. This is how intimate scenes are written! Perfect! Bravo!
“I want to see you again,” I told him. “I want you to see me.”
“Trust me, I do see you,” he stressed. “You’re all I fucking see, Addison. When I close my eyes, when I open them, when I’m teaching. You’re. There. All. The. Fucking. Time.” He rubbed his face. “Sometimes I wish I’d never seen you.”
***
“Jesus, Addison. I thought you were perfect before. Now I fucking know it.”
Finally, they fall in love and in doing so, they try to save one another.
But how can they, when one is forbidden for the other?
How can they, when everyone is against them and when their affair is illicit?
They were “the right people for one another” who met at the “wrong time in the wrong place.”
How can they make it right when everything seems so wrong to the world?
Guilty. Yes, I was fucking guilty. Guilty of loving the wrong person at the wrong time.
***
“I never knew that I’d risk everything, even my freedom, just to touch someone. Just to touch you.”
***
She licked her juicy lips, and the look on her face would have brought a saint to his knees. I was only human.
***
“I’m going to have you,” she promised, and the words sent a thrill down my spine. Promise or threat?
Pulling my hand away from the shelf, I gripped her hair and arched her neck back. My lips hovered over hers. “You are going to ruin me.”
That was when she did the unexpected. She placed her palm over my heart and tapped - One, two, three. One, two, three - before whispering, “You’re going to save me.”
***
As I stood at the front of the class introducing the course, I waited for my morals and drummed-in ethics to assert themselves. To remind me that I wasn’t supposed to be affected by a student’s inspection.
Thirty minutes later, and I was still waiting.
***
Temptation be damned. I’d given in long ago. She was now my very own personal sin.
***
“You are definitely persistent once you set your mind to something.”
“I set my mind on you” she said.
“I know. I never stood a chance.”
***
Fuck, I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell.
***
The perfection, however, was marred. Not in a horrible disfigured way but on a deep subconscious level. She searched my face, for what I wasn’t sure, and continued to count - one, two, three - in a way that I would never stop hearing.
This girl was damaged. Why hadn’t I seen that?
She was broken, and some part of me wanted to fix her.
***
I know I would do it all again for just one more kiss from you.
I ask one thing of you before I go. Please understand that you were never my monster. You, Addison, will always be my Psyche.
***
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.
***
The ticking was back.
We were over.
Time was no longer standing still.
He’s gone and it’s back...
Tick, tick, tock.
***
I’d had that once, during the blind acceptance of youth, until one shattering moment ripped it all away to reveal it was nothing but veiled innocence.
The way the plot unravels is awesome and the way the book ends is even more awesome. Just brilliant !
Although I needed more time with them, I was happy with that HFN ending :)
Well, this is a really must-read book and I highly recommend it. Many thanks to Ella Frank for this beautiful book...
*****************************************
* Addition as of 07.02.2019 after my re-read of the book:
Safety:
I wasn't including a safety section in my reviews in the past. That habit started later on when I saw some of my friends needed safety details. So now, after my re-read of this beauty with my friend Sanzida, I am now adding safety details.
- She is 18 and a student; he is 32 and he is the teacher. So there is this forbidden vibe to it, apparently.
- There is a sex scene of the heroine with OM at the beginning of the book. It's cut short, not much detail. It happens before she meets the hero.
- After she meets the hero and starts to pursue him, there is one more act of intimacy of hers with that other guy - it is not shown, just told by her but still she did it. So decide if it is safe for you or not.
- He pushes away, she pursues him - relentlessly! She does everything to seduce him until he finally gives in. She is brazen, daring and seductive! He resists as long as he can until he ultimately can't.
- He is not a man-wh*re or something like that. He doesn't even look at any other woman and feel anything for them all along the book. He only has eyes for her!
April 3, 2014
3.5 stars. Review posted April 3, 2014
Tick, tick, tock. Fate took its course when 18-year-old Addison Lancaster arrived late at school on the first day of her senior year and came face to face with her new world history teacher, 32-year-old Mr. McKendrick.
Due to personal reasons, Mr. McKendrick (sorry, no first name because that would be a spoiler) decided to come back to Denver. Yet he wasn’t prepared for what he would be ‘finding’ there.
My thoughts
When you have read an author’s entire backlist then you’re compelled to choose a favorite. Also, an important point in reviewing books is being honest. I do give Ella plenty of credit for always writing different stories as well as different characters. One thing’s for sure, she switches effortlessly from a fun and light plot to something much more wistful and gloomy. Long story short, I enjoyed Veiled Innocence but it isn’t my favorite book by Ella Frank. Besides, it didn’t hit the originality, the painful intensity, the staggering beauty and the mind-blowing steam level of Blind Obsession. Thus it’s obvious which book of hers is my favorite. I tend to ruminate a lot when I don’t fall for the characters, especially when the book has been written by one of my favorite authors.
I distinctly remember when more than a few of my classmates and I were swooning over our best-looking teachers. However, in light of Addison’s actions, none of us would have taken the next step and hit on any of them in such a brazen and unapologetically candid manner. I also find myself pondering as to why I’m such a sucker for student/teacher stories. Let’s face it, we all know that on a moral and ethical level this is so very wrong, and yet I can’t resist feeling irresistibly drawn to this kind of trope over and over again. What I feel opposed to in real life works quite fine in my fictional world. Not always, though (no kidnapping, human-trafficking and slavery and rape stories for Baba). No matter how I look at it, a little something was missing here but I hope you'll find it. What I couldn't seem to see or feel might as well be within touching distance for you.
Veiled Innocence is told from Addison and Mr. McKendrick’s POVs and switches between past and present events. I’m actually not a fan of timeframe hopping. Despite the many shifts, however, the plot flowed smoothly and didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story.
Addison is brazen and ruthless and I sure as heck can’t accuse her of not going after what she wants. Plus, she’s burdened by lots of baggage due to her messed up background and she has to deal with mental issues. Addison is very obsessive and unveils stalker-ish tendencies. I was torn between feeling sorry for her, knowing what she went through in the past three years, and an unshakable sense of anger because she showed not one iota of will to respect boundaries. In fact, it was pretty shocking to see how easily she overstepped any and all boundaries and challenged and tempted her teacher all. The. Time. Addison played a dangerous game and I wasn’t sure if she even cared about the consequences. I can’t and won’t conceal my dislike that I felt for her. On the other hand, I must give her credit for taking the blame when the s@it hit the fan.
Despite Mr. KcKendrick being a very sexy teacher with gorgeous, long-ish hair, he didn’t quite win me over. I appreciated the fact that he scrutinized his choices numerous times and he never acted like a predatory lecher. Mr. McKendrick’s father had instilled a sense of morality in him and he was aware of his transgressions. Even though he tried pretty hard to resist Addison, ultimately temptation won over common sense. On second thought, I guess what I missed most about his personality was this all-encompassing charisma that Phillipe Tibideau, hero of Blind Obsession, exuded in spades.
Bottom line, Veiled Innocence is an interesting and solid read and I enjoyed it. The writing is good and Ella captured the somber and gloomy atmosphere nicely. I loved the history and mythology references, and I think Ella did a great job at intertwining all those references with the plot. A few tempting smexy times (without any ick-factor) and a couple twists and turns made for another satisfying reading experience from this talented author. Ella, whatever you’ve got in store next, I’ll be ready to read it!
Recommended to lovers of student/teacher stories and all fans of Ella Frank.
All quotes approved by author.
**ARC courtesy of Ella Frank in exchange for an honest review**
Tick, tick, tock. Fate took its course when 18-year-old Addison Lancaster arrived late at school on the first day of her senior year and came face to face with her new world history teacher, 32-year-old Mr. McKendrick.
Due to personal reasons, Mr. McKendrick (sorry, no first name because that would be a spoiler) decided to come back to Denver. Yet he wasn’t prepared for what he would be ‘finding’ there.
My thoughts
When you have read an author’s entire backlist then you’re compelled to choose a favorite. Also, an important point in reviewing books is being honest. I do give Ella plenty of credit for always writing different stories as well as different characters. One thing’s for sure, she switches effortlessly from a fun and light plot to something much more wistful and gloomy. Long story short, I enjoyed Veiled Innocence but it isn’t my favorite book by Ella Frank. Besides, it didn’t hit the originality, the painful intensity, the staggering beauty and the mind-blowing steam level of Blind Obsession. Thus it’s obvious which book of hers is my favorite. I tend to ruminate a lot when I don’t fall for the characters, especially when the book has been written by one of my favorite authors.
I distinctly remember when more than a few of my classmates and I were swooning over our best-looking teachers. However, in light of Addison’s actions, none of us would have taken the next step and hit on any of them in such a brazen and unapologetically candid manner. I also find myself pondering as to why I’m such a sucker for student/teacher stories. Let’s face it, we all know that on a moral and ethical level this is so very wrong, and yet I can’t resist feeling irresistibly drawn to this kind of trope over and over again. What I feel opposed to in real life works quite fine in my fictional world. Not always, though (no kidnapping, human-trafficking and slavery and rape stories for Baba). No matter how I look at it, a little something was missing here but I hope you'll find it. What I couldn't seem to see or feel might as well be within touching distance for you.
Veiled Innocence is told from Addison and Mr. McKendrick’s POVs and switches between past and present events. I’m actually not a fan of timeframe hopping. Despite the many shifts, however, the plot flowed smoothly and didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story.
Addison is brazen and ruthless and I sure as heck can’t accuse her of not going after what she wants. Plus, she’s burdened by lots of baggage due to her messed up background and she has to deal with mental issues. Addison is very obsessive and unveils stalker-ish tendencies. I was torn between feeling sorry for her, knowing what she went through in the past three years, and an unshakable sense of anger because she showed not one iota of will to respect boundaries. In fact, it was pretty shocking to see how easily she overstepped any and all boundaries and challenged and tempted her teacher all. The. Time. Addison played a dangerous game and I wasn’t sure if she even cared about the consequences. I can’t and won’t conceal my dislike that I felt for her. On the other hand, I must give her credit for taking the blame when the s@it hit the fan.
Despite Mr. KcKendrick being a very sexy teacher with gorgeous, long-ish hair, he didn’t quite win me over. I appreciated the fact that he scrutinized his choices numerous times and he never acted like a predatory lecher. Mr. McKendrick’s father had instilled a sense of morality in him and he was aware of his transgressions. Even though he tried pretty hard to resist Addison, ultimately temptation won over common sense. On second thought, I guess what I missed most about his personality was this all-encompassing charisma that Phillipe Tibideau, hero of Blind Obsession, exuded in spades.
Bottom line, Veiled Innocence is an interesting and solid read and I enjoyed it. The writing is good and Ella captured the somber and gloomy atmosphere nicely. I loved the history and mythology references, and I think Ella did a great job at intertwining all those references with the plot. A few tempting smexy times (without any ick-factor) and a couple twists and turns made for another satisfying reading experience from this talented author. Ella, whatever you’ve got in store next, I’ll be ready to read it!
Recommended to lovers of student/teacher stories and all fans of Ella Frank.
All quotes approved by author.
**ARC courtesy of Ella Frank in exchange for an honest review**
October 8, 2018
"It wasn’t good. It wasn’t evil. It was just love."
I just love me a forbidden love story. But what I love even more is being so pleasantly surprised when picking up a book from an author I haven’t read before.
It’s always a gamble not knowing what to expect or if I’ll like the writing or the author’s style, but Veiled Innocence was more than just a pleasant surprise – it was compelling, sexy, emotional, and I could not put it down. I DEVOURED THIS BOOK and loved every second of it.
Though the blurb doesn’t tell you so, this story is about a student, Addison, who seduces her teacher, Grayson. Addison is a heroine I wasn’t expecting. She was feisty, brazen, and was not scared to sink her claws into Grayson with no thoughts of consequence or remorse.
"Temptation had come to visit, and her steely determination would likely destroy us both."
She pursues him relentlessly with zero shame and Grayson, that poor man, never even stood a chance. Though he tries to fight off her advances, he eventually realizes he just can’t.
These two start an illicit affair, and through it all, you learn about Addison’s broken past and inner struggles, and start to understand why she seeks out her teacher- a man who seems to help calm the “madness” inside her and helps her finally feel at peace in what seems like, to her, forever.
“I told you. When you look at me, you see more.” I cradled his face in my hands and let my eyes roam over him.
“And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
“Fuck,” he swore under his breath. “How do I fight against someone like you?”
“You don’t.”
The book is told in alternate flashbacks from present to past with alternating point of views with you trying to guess how the affair ends (or IF it ends) the entire time.
"Temptation be damned. I’d given up long ago. She was now my very own personal sin."
The scenes between Addison and Grayson were INSANELY HOT. I am talking mouth dropping, panty combusting, scorching hotness. This woman knows how to write one steamy scene. The chemistry between these two was off the freaking charts!
Ella Frank created two flawed characters and such unforgettable scenes that alternated between erotic and emotionally charged, which were all weaved into a beautiful forbidden love.
This story had everything I would have wanted in a forbidden student/teacher romance, but it is a love story first and foremost, and I cannot recommend it enough to all the hopeless romantics out there.
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July 3, 2016
“I looked at her- she looked at me.
My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.”
Woooow my God, I'm speechless right now... I loved this story so freaking much! It blew my mind... :)
This story looks like a forbidden love story. A teenager girl and her teacher but when you start to read it, you'll feel like this is a kind of "meant to be" love story... Story was amazing, writing was flawless.. It left me breathless...
And please don't think this is a simple "forbidden love" story cause it's not! And when you start to reading this book, you'll see there are more than this... This book will surprise you, it will shake you up so bad and after you finish it, you wanna read the book over and over again.... <3
I read this book yesterday but still when I think about it, I feel butterflies in my stomact. And Grayson.... My God, when I think about him right now, even after all that hours later he's making me wet again... :)
Ella Frank, I adore your mind, your words.. This book became one of my favorites now. <3
What can I say more? Pls do not hesitate for reading this book. Trust me, you won't regret this and I'm sure after you finish it, you'll thank me... <3
Ps. Dilek Vidana Tavasoglu and Bookylicious; I wanna thank you girls for recommending this book to me.
It was a life changing kind of book. I'll never ever forget Grayson & Addison's story.
Thank you ! <3
My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.”
Woooow my God, I'm speechless right now... I loved this story so freaking much! It blew my mind... :)
This story looks like a forbidden love story. A teenager girl and her teacher but when you start to read it, you'll feel like this is a kind of "meant to be" love story... Story was amazing, writing was flawless.. It left me breathless...
And please don't think this is a simple "forbidden love" story cause it's not! And when you start to reading this book, you'll see there are more than this... This book will surprise you, it will shake you up so bad and after you finish it, you wanna read the book over and over again.... <3
I read this book yesterday but still when I think about it, I feel butterflies in my stomact. And Grayson.... My God, when I think about him right now, even after all that hours later he's making me wet again... :)
Ella Frank, I adore your mind, your words.. This book became one of my favorites now. <3
What can I say more? Pls do not hesitate for reading this book. Trust me, you won't regret this and I'm sure after you finish it, you'll thank me... <3
Ps. Dilek Vidana Tavasoglu and Bookylicious; I wanna thank you girls for recommending this book to me.
It was a life changing kind of book. I'll never ever forget Grayson & Addison's story.
Thank you ! <3
August 15, 2017
★★★★★! Veiled Innocence (stand-alone). Student set-out to seduce her teacher unveiling her tragic past & an against-all-odds love!
“I’m not one of your little boys that can be led around by their cock. Now. Leave”
Veiled Innocence (stand-alone) is a story about a forbidden affair between senior high school student, Addison Lancaster, Addy and her world history teacher Grayson McKendrick. It opens up in present time, two weeks after Addison’s admittance to Pine Grove Psychiatric Facility. Why and what exactly happened will unfold with story.
Set against the backdrop of a ticking clock we follow them via flashbacks from both Addison and Mr. McKendrick’s POVs from right before their first meeting and through Addison’s relentless and persistent seduction of her teacher. Mr. McKendrick is trying to keep Addison at a distance while fighting his attraction to her, but is not to succeed.
Both have a history and it’s evident they are kindred spirits. Their attraction is electric, the build-up mesmerizing and the affair that follows inevitable, compulsive yet tragic. It pushes boundaries! How can what should and cannot be, seem so perfect?
“Fuck I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell.”
Six words to describe Grayson McKendrick: Complex, conflicted, passionate, reflective, perceptive and possessive.
Six words to describe Addison Lancaster, Addy: Determined, relentless, smart, broken, obsessive and captivating.
Veiled Innocence kept me on my toes until the very last page. I was captivated by them both as well as their story. The ending was alright, but I’d welcome a glimpse into the future; a bonus epilogue fast forward a few years.
Spectacular! Thought-proving! Poignant! Enchanting!
“While Grayson brought peace and calm to my life, I brought worry and chaos to his.”
***
Hero rating: 4 stars
Heroine rating: 5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Plot rating: 5 stars
Dialogue rating: 5 stars
Storytelling rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: 3.5 stars
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 4.5 stars
************************************************
Overall rating: 4.5-5 stars
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Maybe later.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
July 25, 2016
Well, I'll tell you this WAS me while I was reading this book.
This book NEEDS to be read with a significant other or your BOB because it is scorching hot.
Veiled Innocence by Ella Frank is the story of Mr. McKendrick and Addison, a student in his class. The story takes us back and forth between the past and the present- keeping us guessing on what happened and how will it end. Quite frankly I couldn't put it down, I needed to know how it would all pan out. I do admit I had a bit of hard time with Addison but the more layers that were unraveled, the more I understood her. I enjoy when an author is able to change my perception of a character.
Why not 5 stars then? Well, I just didn't see as much of an emotional connection between the two MC's until the second half of the book. I feel like they didn't really talk. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it. 3.75-4 stars ♥
July 20, 2016
*****5 Stars*****
“Show me all of you, Addison. The parts that no one else sees - show me.”
I jumped head first into “Veiled Innocence” by Ella Frank. I didn’t know much about the story when I started and I actually avoided reading any reviews prior to listening to the audio book. I wanted to allow myself the possibility of being completely surprised, captivated and utterly enthralled by the whole listening experience and I was. I was completely blown away by the story, the characters and the narration.
“And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
Addison, wow! How do I describe her while still giving this character the justice she deserves? She absolutely broke my heart. For me, she is the kind of character I would strive to help, nurture and heal. She is so messed up, broken, completely promiscuous and strives for perfection. She knows what she wants and knows no bounds in order to get it.
Addison is a high school senior and star of the track team; she is at the top of the social hierarchy and is the epitome of perfection. One of my favourite things about the story is that it consistently flips from the past to the present and back again. Seeing Addison in the past meant we were able to ultimately see what makes her tick. We were able to witness her with all of her inhibitions, struggles and secrets. Addison’s behaviour is not that of normal teenage angst and rebellion; she has a genuine mental illness. We find this out at the start of the book as it commences in the present, with her in a mental health facility during a therapy session with Doc.
“While Grayson brought peace and calm to my life, I brought worry and chaos to his.”
Grayson/Mr McKendrick has just returned home after travelling through Europe to care for his terminally ill father. While he’s home he takes on a job as a high school history teacher. The class room is where he first lays eyes on Addison. Yes, she is his student and therefore this is a forbidden student/teacher love story.
Addison and Grayson have an instant attraction towards each other, but Grayson being the good guy he is, turns down all of her advances towards him. Grayson really attempts to do the right thing as he is well aware of what an appropriate student/teacher relationship should be and what the boundaries are. Addison won’t take no for an answer as she pursues him and she is very aggressive and unapologetic in her attempts to seduce her teacher.
“I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell.”
Addison appears to the outside world as a confident, talented, beautiful perfect eighteen year old, but we learn pretty quickly that that is all a front. In fact she is a damaged, troubled and broken young woman. Grayson is the only one who can heal her. She comes across as a sultry and sexy woman afraid of nothing and nobody, but carries around immense guilt which has resulted in her obsession with time and counting.
“Veiled Innocence” was such a deep and profound story filled with heartache, inner turmoil, forbidden love and a lot of sexy steamy encounters. It was so hot! I would most definitely recommend this story to readers who love their forbidden, taboo and erotic romances filled with broken, messed up and damaged souls.
I listened to the audio version of this story and the narration was perfect. Their voices were hypnotising and full of emotion; I imagined I was watching it all unfold right in front of me. I also loved that this story was told in a dual POV so I could fully understand the internal struggles and conflicts of both characters. A thank you has to go to Hulya for recommending this amazing story to me. Thanks lovely I enjoyed every minute of Grayson.
“Show me all of you, Addison. The parts that no one else sees - show me.”
I jumped head first into “Veiled Innocence” by Ella Frank. I didn’t know much about the story when I started and I actually avoided reading any reviews prior to listening to the audio book. I wanted to allow myself the possibility of being completely surprised, captivated and utterly enthralled by the whole listening experience and I was. I was completely blown away by the story, the characters and the narration.
“And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
Addison, wow! How do I describe her while still giving this character the justice she deserves? She absolutely broke my heart. For me, she is the kind of character I would strive to help, nurture and heal. She is so messed up, broken, completely promiscuous and strives for perfection. She knows what she wants and knows no bounds in order to get it.
Addison is a high school senior and star of the track team; she is at the top of the social hierarchy and is the epitome of perfection. One of my favourite things about the story is that it consistently flips from the past to the present and back again. Seeing Addison in the past meant we were able to ultimately see what makes her tick. We were able to witness her with all of her inhibitions, struggles and secrets. Addison’s behaviour is not that of normal teenage angst and rebellion; she has a genuine mental illness. We find this out at the start of the book as it commences in the present, with her in a mental health facility during a therapy session with Doc.
“While Grayson brought peace and calm to my life, I brought worry and chaos to his.”
Grayson/Mr McKendrick has just returned home after travelling through Europe to care for his terminally ill father. While he’s home he takes on a job as a high school history teacher. The class room is where he first lays eyes on Addison. Yes, she is his student and therefore this is a forbidden student/teacher love story.
Addison and Grayson have an instant attraction towards each other, but Grayson being the good guy he is, turns down all of her advances towards him. Grayson really attempts to do the right thing as he is well aware of what an appropriate student/teacher relationship should be and what the boundaries are. Addison won’t take no for an answer as she pursues him and she is very aggressive and unapologetic in her attempts to seduce her teacher.
“I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell.”
Addison appears to the outside world as a confident, talented, beautiful perfect eighteen year old, but we learn pretty quickly that that is all a front. In fact she is a damaged, troubled and broken young woman. Grayson is the only one who can heal her. She comes across as a sultry and sexy woman afraid of nothing and nobody, but carries around immense guilt which has resulted in her obsession with time and counting.
“Veiled Innocence” was such a deep and profound story filled with heartache, inner turmoil, forbidden love and a lot of sexy steamy encounters. It was so hot! I would most definitely recommend this story to readers who love their forbidden, taboo and erotic romances filled with broken, messed up and damaged souls.
I listened to the audio version of this story and the narration was perfect. Their voices were hypnotising and full of emotion; I imagined I was watching it all unfold right in front of me. I also loved that this story was told in a dual POV so I could fully understand the internal struggles and conflicts of both characters. A thank you has to go to Hulya for recommending this amazing story to me. Thanks lovely I enjoyed every minute of Grayson.
April 12, 2014
3 to 3.5 stars!
Okay. Deep breaths.
Three and a half stars ain't bad. Three stars means I liked the book. Three and a half stars means I more than like the book. In fact, I think it means I point five times liked it more, you feel me? But when a book like this gets only 5s and 4s, a 3 looks a little cruel but it really is not.
Nevertheless, I have to explain myself. And I hate explaining my 3.5-star reviews because they're so difficult to write. It especially sucks since I seem to be the lone voice of dissent among my GR friends.
So, let's get down to business shall we?
The story
Addison is an 18-year old senior who has everything; at least on the outside. But on the inside, she's far from perfect. Mr. McKendrick is her new history teacher. He's older than Addison...way older. He's gorgeous, smart and well-traveled and Addison wanted him. And what Addison wants, she gets. She pursued him. And I mean PURSUED him. The moment he capitulates, a forbidden affair was born. One that could destroy her teacher's career and may very well be her undoing.
My thoughts
We all know Ella Frank can write. She has the knack for wringing out emotions from her reader; love, lust, anger, joy—everything. She knows how to take you on a journey and make you root for each character that she creates. Unfortunately, while I did like this one, especially towards the end, it didn’t wow me. And when it came to Ella Frank, I was expecting nothing less than wow. That doesn’t sound fair but that’s how I feel when it comes to my favorite authors, which makes writing a critical review doubly hard.
One major plus for this book is the steam factor. The taboo element of the story only serves to intensify the steam level in this book. If I were to rate this book based on that alone, this is a five for sure. But I’m afraid it’s not. And one of the things that really dragged the rating for me were the two main characters themselves.
Frankly, I didn’t like Addison that much. In fact, she annoyed me because her pursuit of Mr. McKendrick reeked of creepiness bordering on desperation. I get that she has “issues” (they always do) or that she’s “broken” (they always are). But for me being broken and fucked up doesn’t cut it anymore. I wanted to connect to a character on a visceral level. I don’t mean that she has to be a Mary Sue who shits rainbows and cotton candies but at least give me something other than being beautiful and fucked up. I hate to say this but apart from being beautiful and sexy, she doesn’t seem to have anything else going for her.
Which begs the question; what in the hell does a 32-year old, well-read, well-traveled man see in an 18-year old, high school senior other than her youth? Frankly, I didn’t like the answer to that question because apart from their physical attraction, their connection didn’t ring true for me.
Why? Well, for one, they never really talked. Not in that sense and certainly not as equals. The only thing they seem to be very adept in doing, whenever they’re in each others company, was tearing each others clothes off. Other than that, I couldn’t see how or why teacher like Mr. McKendricks would risk his career and imprisonment for a girl like Addison? The author did present a plausible answer, but for me, it just didn’t work.
For the record, I’m not opposed to reading about a teacher-student affair. I mean, duh, I read this book for that very reason. This trope fascinates me. But sad to say that Mr. McKendrick and Addison’s story didn’t make for a very compelling read, at least not from where I’m sitting. Still, this was a 3.5-star read for me because of the second half. The second half saved this book for me.
So, despite my rating, I would still recommend this book to anyone who can’t resist this trope. After all, reading tastes vary and the things that I didn’t like could be the things that make this book work for you. Who knows? So yeah, read it because Ella Frank’s books deserves to be read.
That’s it.
An ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
___________________________________________________________________________
*sigh*
GR ate my review. I was about done when the unthinkable happened. Poof! And just like that, I have to write it all over again. Fuck!!
Okay. Deep breaths.
Three and a half stars ain't bad. Three stars means I liked the book. Three and a half stars means I more than like the book. In fact, I think it means I point five times liked it more, you feel me? But when a book like this gets only 5s and 4s, a 3 looks a little cruel but it really is not.
Nevertheless, I have to explain myself. And I hate explaining my 3.5-star reviews because they're so difficult to write. It especially sucks since I seem to be the lone voice of dissent among my GR friends.
So, let's get down to business shall we?
The story
Addison is an 18-year old senior who has everything; at least on the outside. But on the inside, she's far from perfect. Mr. McKendrick is her new history teacher. He's older than Addison...way older. He's gorgeous, smart and well-traveled and Addison wanted him. And what Addison wants, she gets. She pursued him. And I mean PURSUED him. The moment he capitulates, a forbidden affair was born. One that could destroy her teacher's career and may very well be her undoing.
My thoughts
We all know Ella Frank can write. She has the knack for wringing out emotions from her reader; love, lust, anger, joy—everything. She knows how to take you on a journey and make you root for each character that she creates. Unfortunately, while I did like this one, especially towards the end, it didn’t wow me. And when it came to Ella Frank, I was expecting nothing less than wow. That doesn’t sound fair but that’s how I feel when it comes to my favorite authors, which makes writing a critical review doubly hard.
One major plus for this book is the steam factor. The taboo element of the story only serves to intensify the steam level in this book. If I were to rate this book based on that alone, this is a five for sure. But I’m afraid it’s not. And one of the things that really dragged the rating for me were the two main characters themselves.
Frankly, I didn’t like Addison that much. In fact, she annoyed me because her pursuit of Mr. McKendrick reeked of creepiness bordering on desperation. I get that she has “issues” (they always do) or that she’s “broken” (they always are). But for me being broken and fucked up doesn’t cut it anymore. I wanted to connect to a character on a visceral level. I don’t mean that she has to be a Mary Sue who shits rainbows and cotton candies but at least give me something other than being beautiful and fucked up. I hate to say this but apart from being beautiful and sexy, she doesn’t seem to have anything else going for her.
Which begs the question; what in the hell does a 32-year old, well-read, well-traveled man see in an 18-year old, high school senior other than her youth? Frankly, I didn’t like the answer to that question because apart from their physical attraction, their connection didn’t ring true for me.
Why? Well, for one, they never really talked. Not in that sense and certainly not as equals. The only thing they seem to be very adept in doing, whenever they’re in each others company, was tearing each others clothes off. Other than that, I couldn’t see how or why teacher like Mr. McKendricks would risk his career and imprisonment for a girl like Addison? The author did present a plausible answer, but for me, it just didn’t work.
For the record, I’m not opposed to reading about a teacher-student affair. I mean, duh, I read this book for that very reason. This trope fascinates me. But sad to say that Mr. McKendrick and Addison’s story didn’t make for a very compelling read, at least not from where I’m sitting. Still, this was a 3.5-star read for me because of the second half. The second half saved this book for me.
So, despite my rating, I would still recommend this book to anyone who can’t resist this trope. After all, reading tastes vary and the things that I didn’t like could be the things that make this book work for you. Who knows? So yeah, read it because Ella Frank’s books deserves to be read.
That’s it.
An ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
___________________________________________________________________________
*sigh*
GR ate my review. I was about done when the unthinkable happened. Poof! And just like that, I have to write it all over again. Fuck!!
December 14, 2015
4 Tick. Tick. Tock. STARS
This is a student/teacher forbidden love story that has the student, Addison pursuing her new teacher Grayson McKendrick relentlessly. With gifted dual povs a reader finds that her teacher’s resolve is only so strong.
”I looked at her- she looked at me. My ending staring right at me from the very beginning.”
The progression of encounters until Grayson’s breaks was highly entertaining. Addison is a pretty damaged girl and I felt that once realized, Grayson should have backed off. It’s the attraction and chemistry that propels this man forward even though it felt like he fought his attraction tooth and nail. Still, she had an assortment of odd behaviors that just cries out for help.
”Temptation had come to visit, and her steely determination would likely destroy us both.”
Lucky for Addison, she’s super sexy and completely irresistible. I think knowing that she’s locked away for a psych evaluation in the present has you watching her even more closely and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
”Was this what it was like to fall? Fall from grace? Fall victim? Or fall in love with Addison?”
I loved how things unravel at school and how Grayson becomes her safe place. Also, as a fan of Elle Frank, I’m never disappointed with her sex scenes, that mirror scene was hot! However, the constant references to Pysche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss felt like I was being smothered by this connection to that tale and the one I’m reading. I also would have preferred the story to hit a bit darker area than the last 25 percent which felt like a bit of a letdown. Still, until then, this was a very suspenseful and exciting read. So kudos to the author for keeping me moving forward at such a fast pace to find out what had happened to land these lovers in such a state.
A big thank you to a special secret elf for gifting me this story!!
April 23, 2014
4,5 FORBIDDEN STARS
"Tick, tick, tock. Tick, tick…"
This book was amazing, I love books about forbidden love and this is one of them. I loved the way, Ella wrote this story, I've been waiting for this book and I was excited when I got an arc! I'm a big fan of Ella's books, and this was intense and mysterious... It truly kept me on the edge of my seat, just wanting to know more!
It's an emotional roller coaster ride so be prepared!
The story goes between the past and the present day... Addison doesn't have friends,she only has her boyfriend .In her past something bad happened and now she tries to keep herself together and tries to cope with how her life is now. One day when she goes in her class she sees her new teacher McKendrick, who is there because his father sick.
From the first moment there is attraction between them..
Addison wants him and she will not stop until she has him..
Can Grayson resist her?
I don't want to say anymore for the story because it's better to read it and feel everything...
I was intrigued by both characters, I loved the complexity of these characters and how they affect each other! Both characters have to deal with their own demons..I liked Addy but sometimes she pissed me off and this is the reason why I didn't give the book 5 stars. However what I loved more in this book is that you can feel how broken is Addison..and this is what made this book so emotional and so beautiful. And Grayson was really an interesting character! Ella is the master of love scenes!T he sex was so hot and steamy like all of Ella's books! Ella is a talented author ,I will read whatever she writes! This is definitely a must read!!!
"Tick, tick, tock. Tick, tick…"
This book was amazing, I love books about forbidden love and this is one of them. I loved the way, Ella wrote this story, I've been waiting for this book and I was excited when I got an arc! I'm a big fan of Ella's books, and this was intense and mysterious... It truly kept me on the edge of my seat, just wanting to know more!
It's an emotional roller coaster ride so be prepared!
The story goes between the past and the present day... Addison doesn't have friends,she only has her boyfriend .In her past something bad happened and now she tries to keep herself together and tries to cope with how her life is now. One day when she goes in her class she sees her new teacher McKendrick, who is there because his father sick.
From the first moment there is attraction between them..
Addison wants him and she will not stop until she has him..
Can Grayson resist her?
I don't want to say anymore for the story because it's better to read it and feel everything...
I was intrigued by both characters, I loved the complexity of these characters and how they affect each other! Both characters have to deal with their own demons..I liked Addy but sometimes she pissed me off and this is the reason why I didn't give the book 5 stars. However what I loved more in this book is that you can feel how broken is Addison..and this is what made this book so emotional and so beautiful. And Grayson was really an interesting character! Ella is the master of love scenes!T he sex was so hot and steamy like all of Ella's books! Ella is a talented author ,I will read whatever she writes! This is definitely a must read!!!
May 2, 2016
5 Tick. Tick. Tock. Stars
When I first found out that Ella Frank was going to create a teacher/student romance I was sold. Not knowing what to expect of this story but with each teaser revealed something darker was forming. This wasn’t just going to be a story of a forbidden romance, the taboo, this is Ella Frank after all, this was a pure damaged romance.
Addison appears to be nothing but perfect on the outside. Star student, star athlete and popular. But that was just what everyone that knew her saw. Transformed from the girl she used to be, before. Walking into her History class that morning was going to be the moment that changed her life.
Grayson... Mr. McKendrick... He wasn’t your typical teacher type. Leaving his world travels to be close to his ailing father, taking a job as a teacher so that he could be close. But this job, this class and finally this girl was going to change everything.
Addison knows what she wants the minute she lays eyes on him, He becomes a fixation, an obsession and her balm... the only thing to silence the noise.
Grayson’s attempt at remaining unaffected are complete failures. There is just this pull to this girl that he can’t deny. It’s not just her sensuality that calls to him or him getting lost in her seduction. It’s all the broken pieces of her, the things he can see that no one else can. And denying what he wants is just too hard to fight.
This story was told in such a way that your attention was held the entire time. There is so much beyond the premise of their relationship, things that the reader just experience for themselves. But Ella Frank takes you from the end, through the past from the very beginning and you just have to hold on.
There has always been one stand out book that I’ve read, Blind Obsession. It wasn’t my first Ella Frank experience but it had been by far the most memorable. I expected VI to be a five star read, I don’t think Ella Frank has it in her to write a bad story. But I did not expect to feel the way I felt while reading this book. My heart raced, it broke and I don’t think I took a breath for the last five minutes of the story. I am still reeling from this story, unable to know at this given moment if this knocked BO down a notch just to take its place, but I know for certain that this is the kind of story that you aren’t finished with just because you read those two words... The End. This is the kind of story that will sneak back into your thoughts days, weeks later. I have no doubt that when I am least expecting it, something about this story will hit him and I will have to explain the crazy emotional mess I will become.
We were teases with pure sensuality that had you white knuckling your Kindle, forcing you to take a break from reading it because it just became so overwhelming that you needed to steady yourself. Then moments when something was going to be revealed or someone was going to finally give into temptation and you realized that your heart was racing, beating out of your chest. This wasn’t a story you just read, you experienced it. Every. Single. Moment.
My emotions were on high alert throughout this entire story. I had no idea where Ella was going to take us next, each turn brought you deeper into their story. I don’t think there was a single emotion I did not experience while reading this. I had moments of pure fear, a short period of time when I was trying to figure out how to politely tell off Ella, then another twist would appear.
There was nothing predictable about this story. Grayson struggled with his feelings but owned them completely. Addison was broken but she wasn’t that weak heroine, there was just something about her that drew you in. She seduces you just as much as she seduces him.
Read this book. Devour it. Dedicate time to savor it. This was one of those intricate stories that requires your full attention. Laundry will be left dirty and piled on the floor, kids left to fend for themselves, husbands unfed... Do not think you can do two things at once, you won’t. I know. I tried. I gave it all of ten minutes before I had to give my husband a stern look and ask him not to speak to me until I was finished. This is that kind of read, all consuming... in the best possible way.
When I first found out that Ella Frank was going to create a teacher/student romance I was sold. Not knowing what to expect of this story but with each teaser revealed something darker was forming. This wasn’t just going to be a story of a forbidden romance, the taboo, this is Ella Frank after all, this was a pure damaged romance.
Addison appears to be nothing but perfect on the outside. Star student, star athlete and popular. But that was just what everyone that knew her saw. Transformed from the girl she used to be, before. Walking into her History class that morning was going to be the moment that changed her life.
Grayson... Mr. McKendrick... He wasn’t your typical teacher type. Leaving his world travels to be close to his ailing father, taking a job as a teacher so that he could be close. But this job, this class and finally this girl was going to change everything.
“My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.”
Addison knows what she wants the minute she lays eyes on him, He becomes a fixation, an obsession and her balm... the only thing to silence the noise.
“I’d been wrong, I thought as he raised his head. He didn’t have the ability to calm me... Grayson had the ability to make me forget.”
Grayson’s attempt at remaining unaffected are complete failures. There is just this pull to this girl that he can’t deny. It’s not just her sensuality that calls to him or him getting lost in her seduction. It’s all the broken pieces of her, the things he can see that no one else can. And denying what he wants is just too hard to fight.
“Addison’s mouth was sweet, and her body... it was fucking sinful.”
This story was told in such a way that your attention was held the entire time. There is so much beyond the premise of their relationship, things that the reader just experience for themselves. But Ella Frank takes you from the end, through the past from the very beginning and you just have to hold on.
There has always been one stand out book that I’ve read, Blind Obsession. It wasn’t my first Ella Frank experience but it had been by far the most memorable. I expected VI to be a five star read, I don’t think Ella Frank has it in her to write a bad story. But I did not expect to feel the way I felt while reading this book. My heart raced, it broke and I don’t think I took a breath for the last five minutes of the story. I am still reeling from this story, unable to know at this given moment if this knocked BO down a notch just to take its place, but I know for certain that this is the kind of story that you aren’t finished with just because you read those two words... The End. This is the kind of story that will sneak back into your thoughts days, weeks later. I have no doubt that when I am least expecting it, something about this story will hit him and I will have to explain the crazy emotional mess I will become.
We were teases with pure sensuality that had you white knuckling your Kindle, forcing you to take a break from reading it because it just became so overwhelming that you needed to steady yourself. Then moments when something was going to be revealed or someone was going to finally give into temptation and you realized that your heart was racing, beating out of your chest. This wasn’t a story you just read, you experienced it. Every. Single. Moment.
My emotions were on high alert throughout this entire story. I had no idea where Ella was going to take us next, each turn brought you deeper into their story. I don’t think there was a single emotion I did not experience while reading this. I had moments of pure fear, a short period of time when I was trying to figure out how to politely tell off Ella, then another twist would appear.
There was nothing predictable about this story. Grayson struggled with his feelings but owned them completely. Addison was broken but she wasn’t that weak heroine, there was just something about her that drew you in. She seduces you just as much as she seduces him.
“I dropped my head into my hands, remembering Addison’s words, I’m your monster. She was so very wrong. I was honest enough to admit I was fighting myself. I’d become my own monster.”
Read this book. Devour it. Dedicate time to savor it. This was one of those intricate stories that requires your full attention. Laundry will be left dirty and piled on the floor, kids left to fend for themselves, husbands unfed... Do not think you can do two things at once, you won’t. I know. I tried. I gave it all of ten minutes before I had to give my husband a stern look and ask him not to speak to me until I was finished. This is that kind of read, all consuming... in the best possible way.
April 5, 2014
Final Review - 4/4/14
I can still remember it like it was yesterday when Ella Frank sent me a message and verified that I work in mental health. She was so nice about it and told me that I could tell her to mind her own beeswax if I wanted to and all I could do was laugh. I mean we are talking about THE ELLA FRANK!!! The lady who inspired my 30th B-Day gift to myself, who wrote the most perfect, perfection of a man ever in life: Cole Madison. The woman who wrote the most haunting and vividly erotic book I have yet to read: Blind Obsession. So when she asks me a little question like that I have no problem saying yep, I'm a mental health therapist.... Then she absolutely freaking BLEW MY MIND... when she asked me if I would be interested in consulting on the book she was currently writing... It took me all of .4 seconds to say FUCK YES!!!!!! Then I hyperventilated, and screamed, and ran around my apartment all giddy and happy because my two mostly separate worlds were coming together and it meant that I was going to get to read the raw pages of Veiled Innocence right along with her trusted dream team crew. Then I felt nauseated and worried. I mean, what if I fuck up? What if I give her the wrong advice? What if people read it and tear Doc to shreds like I do when I read books that are absolutely inaccurate and awful in regards to their take on mental health or mental health treatment... (I would love to name names right here, but read enough of my reviews and I shouldn't have to.) But I knew the topic well and I felt like I could do it and this is Ella "Killing Vaginas Everywhere" Frank we are talking about. I would just have to take the chance!!! So then I sign my non-disclosure, which made me feel very Fifty Shades... and the next thing I know I am being submerged in this wonderful world. When I saw that she actually thanked me, I was like HOLY SHIT... that says KRISTIN!!! Her thank you to me, for my consulting is in this book, forever!!! WOW!!!! I just can't thank Ella enough for letting my two worlds converge in that way and I can't think of another author that I would have wanted to do this for - for the first time.
Now on to the show...
When I began this book I thought as most will that I was getting a student/teacher romance. Which I have read quite a few of and thoroughly enjoy them for the most part. What I got was something very much like that but completely different at the same time. The best way that I try to describe it to others is to say that it's kind of like you took the HBO series In Treatment (or was that showtime???) then you mix it with Lolita and sprinkle in a dab of Romeo and Juliet and of course you have Ella's talented way of writing the most erotic sex scenes and that is what this book is.
I think it is rare that you read a story that takes you through so many different feelings so thoroughly. I loved Addison for who she was entirely. Which depending on where you are in the book changes drastically. I loved that even though she was a high school senior that the experiences of her life did show in her behaviors she may have been a teenager but as my grandmother says she had an old soul.
This is one that is so very hard to review without telling you anything of importance. Just read it, and fall in love with the characters like I did. Feel all the feels that it pulls out of you. When it gets uncomfortable, and dark just ride the wave and when it feels light or insightful or epic gobble it up. As I stated, I am so very thankful to Ella to letting me contribute a teensy bit to this... but I'm also very happy that I don't have to give this book anything but a five star rating and a glowing review because it was excellent. Enjoy the book hangover!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GOT MY ARC!!! Can't wait to read the polished up and pretty version of it. With one week until release day, I guess it's time to write my review and start telling EVERYONE why you need to read this one!!! LOVED IT!!! Review to come...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teaser ---->
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm dying right now!!! And so very thankful to Ella for letting me be her consultant on this! I don't even know how to express how excited I am. I have only just started and I can already tell you this book is going to be something special! Especially since every one of Ella's books is better than the last...well if I don't take into account my personal bias and overwhelming obsession with (Cole) Edible, that is. I can't wait to dig in and I really, really, hope I do a good enough job!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT???? MORE ELLA!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!
Wooooooooooo! Okay, I'm going to calm myself now... and wait...
I can still remember it like it was yesterday when Ella Frank sent me a message and verified that I work in mental health. She was so nice about it and told me that I could tell her to mind her own beeswax if I wanted to and all I could do was laugh. I mean we are talking about THE ELLA FRANK!!! The lady who inspired my 30th B-Day gift to myself, who wrote the most perfect, perfection of a man ever in life: Cole Madison. The woman who wrote the most haunting and vividly erotic book I have yet to read: Blind Obsession. So when she asks me a little question like that I have no problem saying yep, I'm a mental health therapist.... Then she absolutely freaking BLEW MY MIND... when she asked me if I would be interested in consulting on the book she was currently writing... It took me all of .4 seconds to say FUCK YES!!!!!! Then I hyperventilated, and screamed, and ran around my apartment all giddy and happy because my two mostly separate worlds were coming together and it meant that I was going to get to read the raw pages of Veiled Innocence right along with her trusted dream team crew. Then I felt nauseated and worried. I mean, what if I fuck up? What if I give her the wrong advice? What if people read it and tear Doc to shreds like I do when I read books that are absolutely inaccurate and awful in regards to their take on mental health or mental health treatment... (I would love to name names right here, but read enough of my reviews and I shouldn't have to.) But I knew the topic well and I felt like I could do it and this is Ella "Killing Vaginas Everywhere" Frank we are talking about. I would just have to take the chance!!! So then I sign my non-disclosure, which made me feel very Fifty Shades... and the next thing I know I am being submerged in this wonderful world. When I saw that she actually thanked me, I was like HOLY SHIT... that says KRISTIN!!! Her thank you to me, for my consulting is in this book, forever!!! WOW!!!! I just can't thank Ella enough for letting my two worlds converge in that way and I can't think of another author that I would have wanted to do this for - for the first time.
Now on to the show...
When I began this book I thought as most will that I was getting a student/teacher romance. Which I have read quite a few of and thoroughly enjoy them for the most part. What I got was something very much like that but completely different at the same time. The best way that I try to describe it to others is to say that it's kind of like you took the HBO series In Treatment (or was that showtime???) then you mix it with Lolita and sprinkle in a dab of Romeo and Juliet and of course you have Ella's talented way of writing the most erotic sex scenes and that is what this book is.
I think it is rare that you read a story that takes you through so many different feelings so thoroughly. I loved Addison for who she was entirely. Which depending on where you are in the book changes drastically. I loved that even though she was a high school senior that the experiences of her life did show in her behaviors she may have been a teenager but as my grandmother says she had an old soul.
This is one that is so very hard to review without telling you anything of importance. Just read it, and fall in love with the characters like I did. Feel all the feels that it pulls out of you. When it gets uncomfortable, and dark just ride the wave and when it feels light or insightful or epic gobble it up. As I stated, I am so very thankful to Ella to letting me contribute a teensy bit to this... but I'm also very happy that I don't have to give this book anything but a five star rating and a glowing review because it was excellent. Enjoy the book hangover!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GOT MY ARC!!! Can't wait to read the polished up and pretty version of it. With one week until release day, I guess it's time to write my review and start telling EVERYONE why you need to read this one!!! LOVED IT!!! Review to come...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teaser ---->
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm dying right now!!! And so very thankful to Ella for letting me be her consultant on this! I don't even know how to express how excited I am. I have only just started and I can already tell you this book is going to be something special! Especially since every one of Ella's books is better than the last...well if I don't take into account my personal bias and overwhelming obsession with (Cole) Edible, that is. I can't wait to dig in and I really, really, hope I do a good enough job!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT???? MORE ELLA!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!
Wooooooooooo! Okay, I'm going to calm myself now... and wait...
April 20, 2014
5 STARS!!!!!
(BR with Denisse)
Tick, tick, tock
That is what Addison Lancaster fixates on to keep herself focused on the here and now, instead of giving in to the gut wrenching grief and guilt she feels over the loss of her little brother Daniel.
She's a bit obsessed with time.
Time was not on her side that fateful day that Daniel lost his life.
Everything changes for her the first day of senior year, when she meets her new history teacher, Grayson McKendrick.
He's absolutely gorgeous and looks nothing like how a High School teacher should look and she's instantly attracted to him.
And unfortunately for Grayson, he feels that same attraction.
He knows it's completely unethical to have feelings for his 18 year old student, but the attraction is too strong for the both of them to resist.
Addison, definitely is the pursuer in this relationship.
She comes on so strong and there were moments I really felt like I needed to break for a cold shower or two.
Grayson never stood a chance against her advances, and he really did try hard for a while to resist her.
She was breathtaking. She was beautiful. I was in so fucking deep with her that no one could save me now.
The story is told in dual POVs and switches between the "Past" and the "Present", and the whole time I'm trying to figure out what eventually led to their current predicament.
Their relationship develops into something deeper than just having great sex.
Although the sex was INCREDIBLY HOT!!!
I've never read any of Ella Frank's books till this one but oh my god can she write some panty soaking HOT sex scenes!!!
I'm a total fan now!!!
Grayson and Addison do fall madly in love with each other and they both want so desperately to help fix one another.
I think if Addison had continued with her behavior early on in the story, I wouldn't have liked this story as much as I did, but she ended up trying to be selfless and to do what was best for Grayson.
And Grayson pretty much had me swooning from the moment he introduced himself in that classroom.
When he starts to open up his heart to Addison, I was a goner for him!
"It's time to stop counting, Addison. Just let it go and relax with me. I'll keep you safe."
Loved this one and would highly recommend it!!! :)
(BR with Denisse)
Tick, tick, tock
That is what Addison Lancaster fixates on to keep herself focused on the here and now, instead of giving in to the gut wrenching grief and guilt she feels over the loss of her little brother Daniel.
She's a bit obsessed with time.
Time was not on her side that fateful day that Daniel lost his life.
Everything changes for her the first day of senior year, when she meets her new history teacher, Grayson McKendrick.
He's absolutely gorgeous and looks nothing like how a High School teacher should look and she's instantly attracted to him.
And unfortunately for Grayson, he feels that same attraction.
He knows it's completely unethical to have feelings for his 18 year old student, but the attraction is too strong for the both of them to resist.
Addison, definitely is the pursuer in this relationship.
She comes on so strong and there were moments I really felt like I needed to break for a cold shower or two.
Grayson never stood a chance against her advances, and he really did try hard for a while to resist her.
She was breathtaking. She was beautiful. I was in so fucking deep with her that no one could save me now.
The story is told in dual POVs and switches between the "Past" and the "Present", and the whole time I'm trying to figure out what eventually led to their current predicament.
Their relationship develops into something deeper than just having great sex.
Although the sex was INCREDIBLY HOT!!!
I've never read any of Ella Frank's books till this one but oh my god can she write some panty soaking HOT sex scenes!!!
I'm a total fan now!!!
Grayson and Addison do fall madly in love with each other and they both want so desperately to help fix one another.
I think if Addison had continued with her behavior early on in the story, I wouldn't have liked this story as much as I did, but she ended up trying to be selfless and to do what was best for Grayson.
And Grayson pretty much had me swooning from the moment he introduced himself in that classroom.
When he starts to open up his heart to Addison, I was a goner for him!
"It's time to stop counting, Addison. Just let it go and relax with me. I'll keep you safe."
Loved this one and would highly recommend it!!! :)
October 23, 2016
4.5 stars!
Wow just wow I can't believe how much I loved this book and how good it was. Ok, so when I started this book I became a little nervous that I wouldn't like it because of the dual POV and past and present that I'm not particularly fan of, but surprisingly worked well with this story.
We start with Addison's POV she's beautiful, confident in her sexuality and knows the effect she has on men. The moment she meets her new teacher Mr. McKendrick, she wants him and she goes after him with everything.
Mr. McKendrick is a gorgeous teacher that has just come back home to be with his sick father. When he first sees Addison, he too, feels the attraction but he knows it's wrong that nothing can happen between them.
I've read a quite a few teacher/student books but I have to say Addison, was different from other h I've read. I mean this girl is young but so sexual and at first she seemed self centered always looking and acting perfect but behind the facade she went after Mr. M not taking no for an answer not caring about the consequences. Her poor teacher never had a chance and the man did try hard to not cave in.
The chase was so great it made the sexual built up between this two so hot. Once he gave into Addison, it was explosive. When they start having sex I thought ok, this is gonna be the rest of the book just pure sex. But nope, sure there was the thrill of getting caught of what would happen if they did. But between this dilema we start to see a change in Addison, seeing her fall in love with her teacher, feelings she's never felt before and wiling to let him go so that she didn't ruin him. How much she was hurting, that the persona she shows the world is really not her.
There's so much more to this story than just a student/teacher forbidden relationship. Gosh this book made me feel so much I felt for these two characters the intensity of their feelings. Addison, my heart broke for her for all her loses, the shitty parents she had a world of people that just didn't realize how much help this girl needed. Mr. M he was a good guy that tried hard to do the right thing but when he did start the relationship with Addison, had to battle his conscious. The decision he made at the end when everything came down, I understood it I really think it was the only way out. But I hated not reading that part from his POV because I know it was such a hard decision for him to leave Addison. I wanted to be in his head and live with him those painful days.
This read came so close to a five star for me but the ending even though I did like it I wanted more. Maybe a few years or even a few months after would been so much better. But other than that I loved it. <3
** thank you for the rec lovely hulya**
Wow just wow I can't believe how much I loved this book and how good it was. Ok, so when I started this book I became a little nervous that I wouldn't like it because of the dual POV and past and present that I'm not particularly fan of, but surprisingly worked well with this story.
We start with Addison's POV she's beautiful, confident in her sexuality and knows the effect she has on men. The moment she meets her new teacher Mr. McKendrick, she wants him and she goes after him with everything.
Mr. McKendrick is a gorgeous teacher that has just come back home to be with his sick father. When he first sees Addison, he too, feels the attraction but he knows it's wrong that nothing can happen between them.
I've read a quite a few teacher/student books but I have to say Addison, was different from other h I've read. I mean this girl is young but so sexual and at first she seemed self centered always looking and acting perfect but behind the facade she went after Mr. M not taking no for an answer not caring about the consequences. Her poor teacher never had a chance and the man did try hard to not cave in.
The chase was so great it made the sexual built up between this two so hot. Once he gave into Addison, it was explosive. When they start having sex I thought ok, this is gonna be the rest of the book just pure sex. But nope, sure there was the thrill of getting caught of what would happen if they did. But between this dilema we start to see a change in Addison, seeing her fall in love with her teacher, feelings she's never felt before and wiling to let him go so that she didn't ruin him. How much she was hurting, that the persona she shows the world is really not her.
There's so much more to this story than just a student/teacher forbidden relationship. Gosh this book made me feel so much I felt for these two characters the intensity of their feelings. Addison, my heart broke for her for all her loses, the shitty parents she had a world of people that just didn't realize how much help this girl needed. Mr. M he was a good guy that tried hard to do the right thing but when he did start the relationship with Addison, had to battle his conscious. The decision he made at the end when everything came down, I understood it I really think it was the only way out. But I hated not reading that part from his POV because I know it was such a hard decision for him to leave Addison. I wanted to be in his head and live with him those painful days.
This read came so close to a five star for me but the ending even though I did like it I wanted more. Maybe a few years or even a few months after would been so much better. But other than that I loved it. <3
** thank you for the rec lovely hulya**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2014
4+ Thought Provoking Stars
This has been reviewed before and better - and not on my iPhone - so I'll keep this brief.
First of all, Ella Frank is a fucking champ. This chick can take a story and GIT-R-DONE in so many ways. I've read several of her books thus far and they are all different, never formulaic.
I've read several teacher/student deals in the past also, all with a seemingly different "twist" -insert social commentary regarding how bad this situation is in real life...but it's a book, so I don't really give a SHIT and am totally into it.
I thought Addison and Grayson were very interesting characters. Very human.
I also thought the way Frank wrote the story - jumping back and forth from past to present - although very frustrating and reminiscent of watching a very frenetic tennis match, was very captivating. Frustrating as all get out, but captivating...If feeling like a horse that never gets the damned carrot is captivating, but I digress.
Anyway, this was overall a very engaging story that enjoyed a lot and will probably think about in the future.
This has been reviewed before and better - and not on my iPhone - so I'll keep this brief.
First of all, Ella Frank is a fucking champ. This chick can take a story and GIT-R-DONE in so many ways. I've read several of her books thus far and they are all different, never formulaic.
I've read several teacher/student deals in the past also, all with a seemingly different "twist" -insert social commentary regarding how bad this situation is in real life...but it's a book, so I don't really give a SHIT and am totally into it.
I thought Addison and Grayson were very interesting characters. Very human.
I also thought the way Frank wrote the story - jumping back and forth from past to present - although very frustrating and reminiscent of watching a very frenetic tennis match, was very captivating. Frustrating as all get out, but captivating...If feeling like a horse that never gets the damned carrot is captivating, but I digress.
Anyway, this was overall a very engaging story that enjoyed a lot and will probably think about in the future.
April 9, 2014
3.5--
Tick, Tick, Tock
--Stars!!!
So I liked this one, but I didn't LOVE it. It's not my favorite Ella Frank work but it was still good. And I was intrigued. Ella Frank has a way of creating a story. Giving the reader bits and pieces of the puzzle for it to all come together at the end.
She always manages to create different, unique stories and characters and Veiled Innocence was no exception.
Addison's life is ruled by time, the ticking of the clock. And when Addison is late the first day of class her senior year, she's met with her new history teacher, 32 year old Mr. McKendrick.
And Addison wants Mr. McKendrick and will stop at nothing to get him.
My problem was that at times, Addison came off as desperate. I mean I have to give her credit, she was relentless in her pursuit of Mr. McKendrick. To the point where you would have to wonder whether anyone could have said no.
But in the end I just didn't see it on either end. Addison's need to have Mr. McKendrick and Mr. McKendrick ulimtately giving in to the temptation of Addison.
So that was why the lower rating. Despite how I felt and how I connected with the characters...both Addison and Mr. McKendrick found something in each other that they both needed and craved.
The overall feel of the story was rather melancholy. Addison is a rather broken character. And there are things from her past that have made her the person she is today. And because of this, there were times I felt sorry for her. But she honestly had no regard for her actions or the possible consequences.
Obviously it's not going to be all sunshines and rainbows. What Addison and Mr. McKendrick shared was a forbidden romance. And by the end of the book, I started to see some changes in Addison. Some recognition of her actions and the impact a relationship with Mr. McKendrick could have.
I loved that the story was told in dual POV and the flashbacks between past and present made the story all the more intriguing. There were definitely some steamy moments between Addison and Mr. McKendrick.
In the end....
So I liked this one, but I didn't LOVE it. It's not my favorite Ella Frank work but it was still good. And I was intrigued. Ella Frank has a way of creating a story. Giving the reader bits and pieces of the puzzle for it to all come together at the end.
She always manages to create different, unique stories and characters and Veiled Innocence was no exception.
"What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
Addison's life is ruled by time, the ticking of the clock. And when Addison is late the first day of class her senior year, she's met with her new history teacher, 32 year old Mr. McKendrick.
And Addison wants Mr. McKendrick and will stop at nothing to get him.
"Addison was a dangerous distraction to a man whose life was in chaos. She was the promise of youth, of being fearless…of being alive. She was everything I couldn’t have and shouldn’t want, but the more she taunted, the more my resolve crumbled.
My problem was that at times, Addison came off as desperate. I mean I have to give her credit, she was relentless in her pursuit of Mr. McKendrick. To the point where you would have to wonder whether anyone could have said no.
"Desire, lust, and a woman. They were always the ingredients in man's ultimate betrayal. Whether it was of the heart, mind, or soul."
But in the end I just didn't see it on either end. Addison's need to have Mr. McKendrick and Mr. McKendrick ulimtately giving in to the temptation of Addison.
So that was why the lower rating. Despite how I felt and how I connected with the characters...both Addison and Mr. McKendrick found something in each other that they both needed and craved.
"When you look at me, you see more.” I cradled his face in my hands and let my eyes roam over him. “And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
The overall feel of the story was rather melancholy. Addison is a rather broken character. And there are things from her past that have made her the person she is today. And because of this, there were times I felt sorry for her. But she honestly had no regard for her actions or the possible consequences.
Obviously it's not going to be all sunshines and rainbows. What Addison and Mr. McKendrick shared was a forbidden romance. And by the end of the book, I started to see some changes in Addison. Some recognition of her actions and the impact a relationship with Mr. McKendrick could have.
“I don’t want to be something that you look at and hate. I can’t be that to you, not when you are the opposite to me. I’m bad for you. Poison,”
I loved that the story was told in dual POV and the flashbacks between past and present made the story all the more intriguing. There were definitely some steamy moments between Addison and Mr. McKendrick.
In the end....
"What we had was as simple and as complicated as love could be. We were two people who were perfectly suited and met at exactly the wrong time.
December 1, 2016
4.5 stars...
This book was brilliant before it even started...
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." - Friedrich Nietzsche.
"You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequence of your choice." -Anonymous
These two quotes appear right before the first page, and they are perfect in setting you up for what's to come. I DEVOURED this book, I was powerless to stop. The set-up (while frustrating for someone as impatient as me) was perfect for the flow of this story. I was constantly on my toes, wanting to know what would happen next. And the funny thing about it is it wasn't necessarily unpredictable. But somehow the author wrote this in such a way that I still was racing to the finish, and wasn't let down when I realized I was right about certain things (like I might be with other predictable storylines). And every time someone tried to interrupt me...
This was lust at first sight... with Addison immediately pursing Grayson. She was insane, but I loved it. I loved how she was different than the other heroines I've been reading. She's brazen and crazy, I mean she But I still just loved her, and given the trauma in her past, I could understand her being messed up.
Mainly, I loved how bold she was. It's been awhile since I've read a heroine whose pursuit was so strong (and it stayed that way throughout the book)...
Like when Grayson threatens to call her parents...
"And what would you tell them? Hello, Mrs. Lancaster, I'm calling to let you know that your daughter has been turning up at my house and masturbating in her car. Oh, and can you please keep her away from me because she gives me a hard-on?"Or when's taunting him...
"Making you say yes will be fun."
"What if you don't touch? There's nothing wrong with…watching, is there?"
"It would be nice to know whose name to call when I touch myself at night."
But what started as sex, quickly turns into deeper feelings, and with that caring, comes responsibility for how this could hurt him.
"I don’t want to be something that you look at and hate. I can't be that to you, not when you are the opposite to me. I’m bad for you. Poison."And despite this, she can't stay away from him, because he does what no one else can, he helps her.
"'You're going to be the death of me.' Life is full of ironies, because with him, I'd never felt more alive."
"You make it go away."But both of them are powerless to stop what's happening between them, even if they both know it can't end well.
Not understanding, I asked, 'I make what go away?'
Dropping all pretense, she replied, 'The chaos.'"
"I looked at her—she looked at me. My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning."Before she even tries to tempt him, he knows how much he's drawn to her. Grayson was easy to fall for as well. Even as he pushes her away initially, he's never cruel to her. And she's the only thing he thinks about.
"I knew right then after only one taste, that if I couldn’t have her, there would be nobody else."And of course his dirty mouth certainly didn't hurt...
"I'll teach you how to come with a man inside you. Not a boy, Addison, a man."
And after he succumbs to her seduction, he quickly realizes that there had never been a decision... "Right or wrong, [the choice] had already been made."
I loved the overall theme here, that just because you meet at the wrong time, just because others don't understand, doesn't mean it's not meant to be. Their relationship (while mainly complicated by their taboo relationship) is about more than that. They both have demons, hers are more pronounced, but Grayson is just as lost. And even though she thinks she isn't helping him, and there are times when he thinks it, too, he soon realizes... "she was the only thing that had brought [him] comfort in [his] darkest of days." So even though they shouldn't have been together, they were healing each other in ways that only the other could.
This book sucks you in and makes you feel every single emotion there is. It's captivating, swoon-worthy, sexy, and definitely one of my favorite reads of the year! I wish I had picked it up sooner! I'm going to end with these three quotes, my favorites from this book, and I think in general:
"Hearts come and go. If you want hers, then take it."
"What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
"It wasn't good, and it wasn't evil—it was just love."And I know the last two are pretty much the same thing, but I liked the poetry of both of them :p I'd absolutely recommend this book if you're looking for suspense, sex, love, and tears... it delivers them all flawlessly!
Safety:
Closure:
January 5, 2018
“No one ever told me that loving someone would feel like you were giving up every last part of yourself, but that’s how I feel, Addison. From the second I saw you, I was done. I gave it all to you.”
This bitch needs a hug. And maybe some alcohol. But definitely hugs. and I mean lots of hugs.
“She was breathtaking. She was beautiful. I was in so fucking deep with her that no one could save me now.”
I don't know how to review this. My trashy ass reviews will never do this book any justice.
I am at loss for words.
This book was beautiful.
It was beautiful . Their love was beautiful.
I love it. I love it with every part of my being. I just love it so much.
If you haven't read it, you are honestly missing out on a masterpiece. This is more than just a love story between a teacher and student. It is so so much more than that.
Read it. Trust me. Read the book.
“When you look at me, you see more.” I cradled his face in my hands and let my eyes roam over him. “And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
And thank you Hulya, for always recommending me books that continue to take my breath away <3
I would not have stumbled upon this gem had you not recommend it to me. Thank you once again.
For full review, click : here
March 21, 2017
Fantastic forbidden love and student/teacher romance!
April 15, 2014
While the blurb is certainly interesting and may pull you in, it doesn't really tell you what the book is about. Grayson and Addison meet the first day of her senior year and immediately are in lust! Only problem...yea, you guessed it! He's her teacher.
So this book is about a teacher/student romance but it's so much more. Addison has been through a horrifying incident and it has changed her and her family forever. Addison is definitely not the same girl...she goes after and gets what she wants and she wants Grayson.
Speaking of Grayson...
He is oozing hotness! I could see why Addison would want him and while they have that lust for each other...something else is developing. I especially loved the story of Cupid and Psyche!
A few things to point out...we get dual POVs which I just love. I think this needs to be a mandate for ALL books and the story is told in alternating chapters of the Past and the Present. This I didn't love as much...there's always one part you want to know more about than the other! And you know right from the beginning that something has happened and it made me crazy. But I guess that's good because I couldn't put the book down!
As I said, Addison's family has gone through something and her parents have changed and basically both of them are jerks...her Dad in particular. Grayson is also dealing with family problems regarding his Dad. That was just a little heartbreaking.
I didn't care for some of the high school stuff...I thought it was a bit over the top but I guess it has to be there. I was just a bit shocked at how unsafe Grayson and Addison were!
I loved all of Grayson's and Addison's secret places but my favorite was the field. And it doesn't hurt that the scenes are super steamy!
There's some good developments and I loved the part with the pen. And I especially loved the ending although I would've liked to read more but for right now, it's a standalone.
Favorite quotes:
♥ "Tick, tick, tock."
♥ "One, two, three. One, two, three."
♥ "I’d once heard a quote from Marilyn Monroe that said, Boys think girls are like books. If the cover doesn't catch their eye, they won't bother to read what's inside."
♥ "My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning."
♥ “Trust me, I do see you,” he stressed. “You’re all I fucking see, Addison. When I close my eyes, when I open them, when I’m teaching. You’re. There. All. The. Fucking. Time.” He rubbed his face. “Sometimes I wish I’d never seen you.”
♥ "It's time to stop counting, Addison. Just let it go and relax with me. I'll keep you safe."
♥ “I told you. When you look at me, you see more.” I cradled his face in my hands and let my eyes roam over him. “And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
♥ BR w/Melissa! ♥
So this book is about a teacher/student romance but it's so much more. Addison has been through a horrifying incident and it has changed her and her family forever. Addison is definitely not the same girl...she goes after and gets what she wants and she wants Grayson.
Speaking of Grayson...
He is oozing hotness! I could see why Addison would want him and while they have that lust for each other...something else is developing. I especially loved the story of Cupid and Psyche!
A few things to point out...we get dual POVs which I just love. I think this needs to be a mandate for ALL books and the story is told in alternating chapters of the Past and the Present. This I didn't love as much...there's always one part you want to know more about than the other! And you know right from the beginning that something has happened and it made me crazy. But I guess that's good because I couldn't put the book down!
As I said, Addison's family has gone through something and her parents have changed and basically both of them are jerks...her Dad in particular. Grayson is also dealing with family problems regarding his Dad. That was just a little heartbreaking.
I didn't care for some of the high school stuff...I thought it was a bit over the top but I guess it has to be there. I was just a bit shocked at how unsafe Grayson and Addison were!
I loved all of Grayson's and Addison's secret places but my favorite was the field. And it doesn't hurt that the scenes are super steamy!
There's some good developments and I loved the part with the pen. And I especially loved the ending although I would've liked to read more but for right now, it's a standalone.
Favorite quotes:
♥ "Tick, tick, tock."
♥ "One, two, three. One, two, three."
♥ "I’d once heard a quote from Marilyn Monroe that said, Boys think girls are like books. If the cover doesn't catch their eye, they won't bother to read what's inside."
♥ "My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning."
♥ “Trust me, I do see you,” he stressed. “You’re all I fucking see, Addison. When I close my eyes, when I open them, when I’m teaching. You’re. There. All. The. Fucking. Time.” He rubbed his face. “Sometimes I wish I’d never seen you.”
♥ "It's time to stop counting, Addison. Just let it go and relax with me. I'll keep you safe."
♥ “I told you. When you look at me, you see more.” I cradled his face in my hands and let my eyes roam over him. “And when I look at you, I see for the first time the possibility of everything.”
♥ BR w/Melissa! ♥
February 22, 2019
I’m sorry but this entire book is such a load of crap. This is a summary of their “relationship”, basically five minutes after they met:
- insta lust and a lot of eye fucking
- her, openly pursuing him by explictly telling him she wants him to follow her, touch her and fuck her and even tells him that she masturbates while thinking about him
- her, following him home, and then sitting in her car, in front of his house, masturbating (Imagine if this were the other way around, my god)
- the constant comments and lusting eyes she’s throwing his way
And all of this even BEFORE they even had a decent conversation, aside from him teaching her in class. I mean what the fuck is going on. Having a crush on a teacher is one thing, but trying to get him to fuck you on the first day of school is another.
She’s a crazy nymphomaniac who is instantly obsessed with her teacher and he just can’t keep it in his pants. And of course: the girl is perfect. Hot. Sexy. It made me want to vomit. Tell me where the “veiled innocence” was if she was constantly trying to spread her legs in the middle of class, because that’s how hot she got, just by him being in the same room as her?
- insta lust and a lot of eye fucking
- her, openly pursuing him by explictly telling him she wants him to follow her, touch her and fuck her and even tells him that she masturbates while thinking about him
- her, following him home, and then sitting in her car, in front of his house, masturbating (Imagine if this were the other way around, my god)
- the constant comments and lusting eyes she’s throwing his way
And all of this even BEFORE they even had a decent conversation, aside from him teaching her in class. I mean what the fuck is going on. Having a crush on a teacher is one thing, but trying to get him to fuck you on the first day of school is another.
She’s a crazy nymphomaniac who is instantly obsessed with her teacher and he just can’t keep it in his pants. And of course: the girl is perfect. Hot. Sexy. It made me want to vomit. Tell me where the “veiled innocence” was if she was constantly trying to spread her legs in the middle of class, because that’s how hot she got, just by him being in the same room as her?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2014
5 I Can't Stay Away Stars!
(BR with Sharon)
Addison Lancaster aka Addy is an 18 yr. old girl starting her senior year of high school. She lost someone close to her about 2 yrs. ago, and this changed her whole life. Her once happy home has now turned into the last place she wants to be. No matter how perfect Addy tries to be, nothing she does is ever good enough for her parents. She hides her pain by striving for perfection, and being the center of attention. Addy has become the ideal daughter, the school's track star, and is admired by everyone including her teachers.
On Addy's first day of her senior year, she enters her World History class and is shocked to find she has a new teacher that is absolutely gorgeous. He looks nothing like a teacher, and more like a rock star with his long hair and pony tail. He is very sexy, and every teenage girls dream. Addy develops a major crush on him, and feels drawn to him. She is shocked at her immediate reaction to him, and how affected she is by his voice and appearance.
This beautiful man is Grayson McKendrick aka Mr. McKendrick. He is 32, and loves history, art, and photography. Grayson has been travelling Europe, but when his father becomes ill, he returns home to Denver to take care of him. He decides to teach history, even though it isn't what he really wants to do.
On Grayson's first day of teaching a stunning girl with attitude is late to his class. She is brazen and obnoxious, and pushes all of his buttons. She begins to flirt and pursue him.
Addy loves sex, and is your typical horny teenager who likes to be reckless. She finds Mr. McKendrick alluring, and exciting and decides she wants him, and is going to have him. She begins to follow him. Grayson knows she is forbidden, but still finds himself extremely attracted to her. Her appearance is more woman than girl, and he knows if he gives into temptation he could lose everything.
Addy is relentless in pursuing him, and eventually they cross the line into dangerous territory. They fall for each other, and Addy begins to realize when she is with Grayson all the bad in her life just fades away, and she no longer feels broken. Both of their lives were in chaos, but when they're together they feel at peace. Even though they don't make sense to others, they're relationship just works & makes them both happier than they were apart. I thought this was a beautiful love story with a perfect ending, and as usual Ella Frank's writing is fabulous!!! :D
-"The first time I saw him was the first time in years that I felt...peace."
-I knew that this behavior of mine was insane, but when it came to him, rules didn't seem to apply.
-The smile that tipped her lips up at the corners was impish, almost cute. It was the glint in her eye that was pure sex.
-Addison's mouth was sweet, and her body...it was fucking sinful.
-Once is a mistake, I can play that off. But twice...can I really let this happen?
-She was breathtaking. She was beautiful. I was in so fucking deep with her that no one could save me now.
-No one could accuse Addison Lancaster of not going after what she wanted.
-"I'm going to have you," she promised, and the words sent a thrill down my spine. Promise or threat?
-You are so fucking dangerous that I'm not sure I'll survive you."
-"I have no idea why I'm allowing myself to be with you, but I have no clue how to stop."
-The man was hotter than hell, and nowhere in sight was my history teacher. This was all Grayson.
-Breathing became difficult as he brought a hand to my chest and placed it over my heart.
-He'd calmed me when no one else could. He'd saved me from myself.
-Completely naked, Grayson made every schoolgirl fantasy of mine pale in comparison to the reality. He was tall, muscled, and nothing my girlish brain could have dreamed up.
-"What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
-One choice can change the entire path you were once on.
-Was this what it was like to fall? Fall from Grace? Fall victim? Or fall in love with Addison?
-I was starting to think as wrong as we were for one another, we were also the only two people that were perfectly suited for the other.
-No one ever told me that loving someone would feel like you were giving up every last part of yourself, but that's how I feel, Addison. From the second I saw you, I was done. I gave it all to you.
(BR with Sharon)
Addison Lancaster aka Addy is an 18 yr. old girl starting her senior year of high school. She lost someone close to her about 2 yrs. ago, and this changed her whole life. Her once happy home has now turned into the last place she wants to be. No matter how perfect Addy tries to be, nothing she does is ever good enough for her parents. She hides her pain by striving for perfection, and being the center of attention. Addy has become the ideal daughter, the school's track star, and is admired by everyone including her teachers.
On Addy's first day of her senior year, she enters her World History class and is shocked to find she has a new teacher that is absolutely gorgeous. He looks nothing like a teacher, and more like a rock star with his long hair and pony tail. He is very sexy, and every teenage girls dream. Addy develops a major crush on him, and feels drawn to him. She is shocked at her immediate reaction to him, and how affected she is by his voice and appearance.
This beautiful man is Grayson McKendrick aka Mr. McKendrick. He is 32, and loves history, art, and photography. Grayson has been travelling Europe, but when his father becomes ill, he returns home to Denver to take care of him. He decides to teach history, even though it isn't what he really wants to do.
On Grayson's first day of teaching a stunning girl with attitude is late to his class. She is brazen and obnoxious, and pushes all of his buttons. She begins to flirt and pursue him.
Addy loves sex, and is your typical horny teenager who likes to be reckless. She finds Mr. McKendrick alluring, and exciting and decides she wants him, and is going to have him. She begins to follow him. Grayson knows she is forbidden, but still finds himself extremely attracted to her. Her appearance is more woman than girl, and he knows if he gives into temptation he could lose everything.
Addy is relentless in pursuing him, and eventually they cross the line into dangerous territory. They fall for each other, and Addy begins to realize when she is with Grayson all the bad in her life just fades away, and she no longer feels broken. Both of their lives were in chaos, but when they're together they feel at peace. Even though they don't make sense to others, they're relationship just works & makes them both happier than they were apart. I thought this was a beautiful love story with a perfect ending, and as usual Ella Frank's writing is fabulous!!! :D
-"The first time I saw him was the first time in years that I felt...peace."
-I knew that this behavior of mine was insane, but when it came to him, rules didn't seem to apply.
-The smile that tipped her lips up at the corners was impish, almost cute. It was the glint in her eye that was pure sex.
-Addison's mouth was sweet, and her body...it was fucking sinful.
-Once is a mistake, I can play that off. But twice...can I really let this happen?
-She was breathtaking. She was beautiful. I was in so fucking deep with her that no one could save me now.
-No one could accuse Addison Lancaster of not going after what she wanted.
-"I'm going to have you," she promised, and the words sent a thrill down my spine. Promise or threat?
-You are so fucking dangerous that I'm not sure I'll survive you."
-"I have no idea why I'm allowing myself to be with you, but I have no clue how to stop."
-The man was hotter than hell, and nowhere in sight was my history teacher. This was all Grayson.
-Breathing became difficult as he brought a hand to my chest and placed it over my heart.
-He'd calmed me when no one else could. He'd saved me from myself.
-Completely naked, Grayson made every schoolgirl fantasy of mine pale in comparison to the reality. He was tall, muscled, and nothing my girlish brain could have dreamed up.
-"What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
-One choice can change the entire path you were once on.
-Was this what it was like to fall? Fall from Grace? Fall victim? Or fall in love with Addison?
-I was starting to think as wrong as we were for one another, we were also the only two people that were perfectly suited for the other.
-No one ever told me that loving someone would feel like you were giving up every last part of yourself, but that's how I feel, Addison. From the second I saw you, I was done. I gave it all to you.
May 11, 2018
5+ Forbidden and Reviving Stars!!!
A note from Ella's "Special Acknowledgments" at the start of the book- The heart wants what it wants- age be damned.
OMG!! Ella Frank does it again! My favorite book of hers to date with the exception of Blind Obsession. An unbelievable story of good and evil, about love, passion, loss, and healing. One of the best forbidden romance tales that I have ever read. Ella's writing is poetic!
"I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell."
My Castings:
This is one of those reviews where I am going to say a lot, but only tell you a little. Let it be known that nothing grabs my interest like a story of forbidden romance; and within that, teacher/student is my favorite dynamic. Gabriel's Inferno is my #1 all time favorite book/series. I guess it's something about the illicitness of it all, the loss of control, the thrill of getting caught. It's also something that, while morally wrong in "real life," when fictionalized, is just intriguing and passionate. And to me, Ella Frank writes these emotions like no other! This book drew me in from the FIRST WORD. It is so intense and every word is so profound and poignant, that I found myself only able to read a little at a time before I would have to pause and just take it all in.
Addison Lancaster is beautiful. She is popular. She is also operating under a massive shield where she only exudes excellence in all that she does because it gives her a sense of control. She suffered a tragic childhood that she has never really gotten over, and is in pain everyday. Along with her coping mechanism of a fixation on perfection and control, she's also obsessed with time and counting. Even though she is popular and surrounded by others, she feels impossibly alone.
Mr. McKendrick is at a bit of a pause in his life. When we meet him, it's because he has had to travel home to be with his father who is in poor health, and teaching is just what's gonna pay the bills for the time being. Even though the story is told in alternating POVs between he and Addison, he remains pretty elusive to us. We mainly see him through Addison's eyes, and what Addison sees is a teacher unlike any she has ever seen before who she is instantly, magnetically drawn to.
"Temptation had come to visit, and her steely determination would likely destroy us both."
And so it begins between these two. The constant struggle to resist the mounting temptation amidst the very primal reaction that they have to one another. But let me be frank, there is a blatant role reversal here. Addison shamelessly seeks out Mr. McKendrick every chance she gets.
"Addison, it's natural to form attachments to your teachers." "'Is it natural to picture them fucking you?" <--- Judge me all you want, but that is my absolute favorite line of the book!
"Addison," he growled. "You're trouble."
"And you're hard. So I'm guessing you either like trouble, or you think I'm sexy too."
I have seen a few reviews (very few) where she is referred to as a whore, and let me assure you that this could not be further from the truth! The story is NOT just about the (hot as fuck) sex between them. Mr. McKendrick is the first person that Addison has ever encountered who grounds her and calms her.
"You make it go away." Not understanding, I asked, "I make what go away?" Dropping all pretense, she replied, "The chaos."
"This is the only thing that's right. You're the first person who sees me."
And in no way is their affair glorified. These characters are starkly and increasingly aware of how wrong and how dangerous what they are doing is, the risks involved...everything. It's part of what makes this book as phenomenal as it is. Yes, it's taboo, but it is sooo much more. It's a love story first and foremost. It is deeply emotional and beautiful at times to the point of being heart crushing.
The way that this book is written is so brilliant and so powerful because it swings between the past and the present as that ever present theme of time works itself around this story. And in the present, something terrible is going on, but we have no idea what it is. So the whole time I was reading, I was freaking the hell out because I knew SOMETHING was coming, and I didn't want it to.
For as much as I have said here, and I feel like I have been blabbing forever, I haven't even scratched the surface. I just cannot recommend this book enough! For sure one that I will read again and again!! Beautiful!!!
"It wasn't wrong. No- it was just misunderstood."
The Rebel Book Chicks received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review and in part of the blog tour.
For more honest reviews, book updates, giveaways, and other complete craziness, visit our blog at http://www.rebelbookchicks.com/
Follow us on FB:https://www.facebook.com/rebelbook...
Follow us Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebelBookChicks
A note from Ella's "Special Acknowledgments" at the start of the book- The heart wants what it wants- age be damned.
OMG!! Ella Frank does it again! My favorite book of hers to date with the exception of Blind Obsession. An unbelievable story of good and evil, about love, passion, loss, and healing. One of the best forbidden romance tales that I have ever read. Ella's writing is poetic!
"I was in heaven. I was also aware that I was pretty damn close to being assured a spot in hell."
My Castings:
This is one of those reviews where I am going to say a lot, but only tell you a little. Let it be known that nothing grabs my interest like a story of forbidden romance; and within that, teacher/student is my favorite dynamic. Gabriel's Inferno is my #1 all time favorite book/series. I guess it's something about the illicitness of it all, the loss of control, the thrill of getting caught. It's also something that, while morally wrong in "real life," when fictionalized, is just intriguing and passionate. And to me, Ella Frank writes these emotions like no other! This book drew me in from the FIRST WORD. It is so intense and every word is so profound and poignant, that I found myself only able to read a little at a time before I would have to pause and just take it all in.
Addison Lancaster is beautiful. She is popular. She is also operating under a massive shield where she only exudes excellence in all that she does because it gives her a sense of control. She suffered a tragic childhood that she has never really gotten over, and is in pain everyday. Along with her coping mechanism of a fixation on perfection and control, she's also obsessed with time and counting. Even though she is popular and surrounded by others, she feels impossibly alone.
Mr. McKendrick is at a bit of a pause in his life. When we meet him, it's because he has had to travel home to be with his father who is in poor health, and teaching is just what's gonna pay the bills for the time being. Even though the story is told in alternating POVs between he and Addison, he remains pretty elusive to us. We mainly see him through Addison's eyes, and what Addison sees is a teacher unlike any she has ever seen before who she is instantly, magnetically drawn to.
"Temptation had come to visit, and her steely determination would likely destroy us both."
And so it begins between these two. The constant struggle to resist the mounting temptation amidst the very primal reaction that they have to one another. But let me be frank, there is a blatant role reversal here. Addison shamelessly seeks out Mr. McKendrick every chance she gets.
"Addison, it's natural to form attachments to your teachers." "'Is it natural to picture them fucking you?" <--- Judge me all you want, but that is my absolute favorite line of the book!
"Addison," he growled. "You're trouble."
"And you're hard. So I'm guessing you either like trouble, or you think I'm sexy too."
I have seen a few reviews (very few) where she is referred to as a whore, and let me assure you that this could not be further from the truth! The story is NOT just about the (hot as fuck) sex between them. Mr. McKendrick is the first person that Addison has ever encountered who grounds her and calms her.
"You make it go away." Not understanding, I asked, "I make what go away?" Dropping all pretense, she replied, "The chaos."
"This is the only thing that's right. You're the first person who sees me."
And in no way is their affair glorified. These characters are starkly and increasingly aware of how wrong and how dangerous what they are doing is, the risks involved...everything. It's part of what makes this book as phenomenal as it is. Yes, it's taboo, but it is sooo much more. It's a love story first and foremost. It is deeply emotional and beautiful at times to the point of being heart crushing.
The way that this book is written is so brilliant and so powerful because it swings between the past and the present as that ever present theme of time works itself around this story. And in the present, something terrible is going on, but we have no idea what it is. So the whole time I was reading, I was freaking the hell out because I knew SOMETHING was coming, and I didn't want it to.
For as much as I have said here, and I feel like I have been blabbing forever, I haven't even scratched the surface. I just cannot recommend this book enough! For sure one that I will read again and again!! Beautiful!!!
"It wasn't wrong. No- it was just misunderstood."
The Rebel Book Chicks received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review and in part of the blog tour.
For more honest reviews, book updates, giveaways, and other complete craziness, visit our blog at http://www.rebelbookchicks.com/
Follow us on FB:https://www.facebook.com/rebelbook...
Follow us Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebelBookChicks
August 4, 2018
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book. It was great.
I do recommend it.
I really enjoyed this book. It was great.
I do recommend it.
February 24, 2015
WOW...HAD FORGOTTEN HOW GOOD THIS WAS !!
Have just re read this and think I enjoyed it even more
Addison is 18 with a troubled past...
Greyson is her 32 yr old Teacher...
She sets her sights on him and nothing is going to stop her
"I think about you all the time.I can't stop"Shaking my head,I ran my Palm over my wet face.This couldn't be happening to me.I would not allow it.I knew better.
"Addison,it's natural to form attachments to your teachers"
"Is it natural to picture them fucking you?"
Greyson tries to resist but can't
She was the promise of youth,of being fearless...of being alive.She was everything I couldn't have and shouldn't want,but the more she taunted me,the more my resolve crumbled
Written in the past and present it keeps you guessing right until the end.It's a real car crash of a read..you can see what's coming and you don't want it to happen, but you just know it's going to....
It's not all hearts and flowers(far from it), and don't think it's a fluffy romance between a Student/Teacher because it's so much more than that
I don't often re read books but I'm so glad I did here..
JUST BRILLIANT!!
Have just re read this and think I enjoyed it even more
Addison is 18 with a troubled past...
Greyson is her 32 yr old Teacher...
She sets her sights on him and nothing is going to stop her
"I think about you all the time.I can't stop"Shaking my head,I ran my Palm over my wet face.This couldn't be happening to me.I would not allow it.I knew better.
"Addison,it's natural to form attachments to your teachers"
"Is it natural to picture them fucking you?"
Greyson tries to resist but can't
She was the promise of youth,of being fearless...of being alive.She was everything I couldn't have and shouldn't want,but the more she taunted me,the more my resolve crumbled
Written in the past and present it keeps you guessing right until the end.It's a real car crash of a read..you can see what's coming and you don't want it to happen, but you just know it's going to....
It's not all hearts and flowers(far from it), and don't think it's a fluffy romance between a Student/Teacher because it's so much more than that
I don't often re read books but I'm so glad I did here..
JUST BRILLIANT!!
July 12, 2014
“I never knew that I’d risk everything, even my freedom, just to touch someone. Just to touch you.”
Once in a blue moon, I find myself starting a book with absolutely no prior knowledge of its storyline or the themes in it, excited by the possibilities and lack of expectations, and while it is always a gamble, the mere fact that this particular book was penned by an author who has never let me down, made me feel like it was a safe bet from the very beginning. What I didn’t know was that this story would end up being my undoing from the moment I realised what it was about.
“Addison, it’s natural to form attachments to your teachers.”
“Is it natural to picture them f*cking you?”
Let it be known that nothing spikes my interest like a tale of forbidden romance between a teacher and a student, its inherent illicitness and lack of control being something I am inexplicably drawn to in the books I read, the greatest allure perhaps lying in the fact that, while morally despicable in real life, in fiction, we are allowed to mentally participate in these scenarios, and even root for them. But, as appealing as I find the mere idea of them, I personally also see them as extremely ‘hard sells’ in most cases. I honestly never know whether they would creep me out or make me tingle in all the right places, but I should have known that Ella Frank would have kicked it up a notch and set my skin on fire. This is a story that is so well-rounded, so masterfully assembled, every component fitting perfectly into the overall storyline and giving us one of the most intense, tantalizing, emotionally charged romances to feed our wicked fantasies.
“I looked at her—she looked at me. My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.”
Grayson McKendrick is a history teacher, in his early thirties, a man whose past remains fairly elusive for the purposes of this story, apart from the fact that he has spent a large portion of his adulthood leading a rather nomadic life, traveling the world, until his father’s frail health brings him back home. He battles with conflicting feelings of anger and helplessness, expecting the worst to happen in the immediate future, but frustrated with himself for being unable to do anything to prevent it. His fairly quiet life comes to a standstill the moment a blue-eyed siren walks into his classroom and mischievously smiles at him, challenging his every resolve, his every belief, and from that moment onwards, Grayson’s life becomes a daily struggle to resist temptation and his body’s primal reactions to someone he knows he cannot and should not have.
“Temptation had come to visit, and her steely determination would likely destroy us both.”
Addison Lancaster is a popular girl, a high school senior whose traumatic past has cut her childhood short and made her into a woman who escapes her grief and overwhelming guilt by pursuing perfection and excellence in the things she can control in her life. But her pursuit of perfection is a race she can never win, her immaculate appearance only camouflaging the broken young woman hiding inside her, one in dire need of love and acceptance, but who only ever receives criticism and blame for the mistakes she never made. The Addison that the world sees is flawless, determined, ambitious, unemotional, a very different woman to the little girl still hiding behind her defensive walls. The only signs of her inner struggle are her little obsessive compulsions such as having to always hear the tick tock of a clock or her mental counting, acts that calm her nerves and warn off her anxiety when memories or external influences unsettle her.
“With him the ticking had stopped.”
When Addison lays eyes on her new history teacher, she is immediately attracted to him and she shamelessly pursues him any chance she gets. In a very rare reverse power dynamic in the context of a forbidden romance, young Addison is the one who sets the pace of their evolving relationship, her relentless determination to seduce him and make him admit his reluctant attraction to her is the element that makes this scenario so unique and addictive. Their age difference quickly disappears before our eyes, all we can see is the temptress rather than a woman half this man’s age, and as a result, their every interaction assumes an aura of delicious illicitness.
“I’ll teach you how to come with a man inside you. Not a boy, Addison, a man.”
But while Addison is the very thing that could destroy Grayson’s entire life, he is the first person in hers who manages to ground her, calm her nerves, make her feel safe and loved. No part of this taboo love affair is glorified or presented as the ‘the right way’ – we are continuously aware of how volatile and morally questionable this scenario is from the very beginning, and ultimately, the ending fits these given characters.
“You’re going to be the death of me.”
Life is full of ironies, because with him, I’d never felt more alive.
Do not be afraid by this book’s enigmatic blurb, do not be afraid to surrender your senses to this strikingly written love story that will ignite your every nerve ending and make you feel a myriad of different emotions. It somehow taps into all the taboos that make our kinks run rampant, and still manages to move us deeply and even shatter our hearts on occasion. I read this book in one sitting, in what felt like one single breath, and I adored every moment spent with Addison and Grayson. It has everything I always dream of finding in a forbidden student/teacher romance, but it is a love story first and foremost, and as such, I cannot recommend it enough to all the hopeless romantics out there.
“It wasn’t wrong. No—it was just misunderstood.”
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February 4, 2019
Audio - 5 stars
Story - 3 stars
I find myself in the minority again, but I'm okay with that.
The back and forth between the past and the present for the entire book frustrated me. That said, the story is not one I will soon forget.
Story - 3 stars
I find myself in the minority again, but I'm okay with that.
The back and forth between the past and the present for the entire book frustrated me. That said, the story is not one I will soon forget.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2016
3.5 Stars
This was a great book and I enjoyed it. Some parts more than others. It started out with me being hooked instantly although Addison was a nuisance and I felt came on too strongly towards Grayson. Their chemistry was insanely hot and so was the push and pull game they played. Even though Addison frustrated the hell out of me, I knew it was all a facade and I was very intrigued by her past and what had broken her. Also the importance of Grayson's presence and effect on Addison was something I enjoyed. He was so delicious. From being assertive to his caring side. He gave me dirty and naughty thoughts;)
The story was great and all of a sudden halfway through I lost feeling and interest in Addison and Grayson. I didn't feel love between them. I FELT lust and undeniably attraction and that was it. Their actions started to be repetitive and their jump towards love felt forced and I couldn't feel it all.
I enjoyed the last 10% because of its fast pace and drama. I was definitely on the edge of my seat.
The epilogue was the perfect way to end the story although it was a little predictable.
This was my first book by Ella Frank. I liked and enjoyed this story because of its writing. It was fast paced and flawlessly written. This is definitely not my last book from Frank. I'm curious to know and read more from her.
3.5 BadAssDirtyPsycheStars
This was a great book and I enjoyed it. Some parts more than others. It started out with me being hooked instantly although Addison was a nuisance and I felt came on too strongly towards Grayson. Their chemistry was insanely hot and so was the push and pull game they played. Even though Addison frustrated the hell out of me, I knew it was all a facade and I was very intrigued by her past and what had broken her. Also the importance of Grayson's presence and effect on Addison was something I enjoyed. He was so delicious. From being assertive to his caring side. He gave me dirty and naughty thoughts;)
The story was great and all of a sudden halfway through I lost feeling and interest in Addison and Grayson. I didn't feel love between them. I FELT lust and undeniably attraction and that was it. Their actions started to be repetitive and their jump towards love felt forced and I couldn't feel it all.
I enjoyed the last 10% because of its fast pace and drama. I was definitely on the edge of my seat.
The epilogue was the perfect way to end the story although it was a little predictable.
This was my first book by Ella Frank. I liked and enjoyed this story because of its writing. It was fast paced and flawlessly written. This is definitely not my last book from Frank. I'm curious to know and read more from her.
3.5 BadAssDirtyPsycheStars
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