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Series: Preservation #1
Publication date: May 25th, 2012
Pages: 217
Synopsis:
Fear is sabotage's sweetest weapon.
Kate has no time for meaningless romantic charades, and definitely no time for hot college professors who are full of themselves and smitten with her. Constantly battling eviction notices, tuition she can't afford, and a sick, dependent mother, the last thing she needs is to be distracted with someone else's complicated baggage.
When she stumbles into Ryan Campbell's creative writing class, he is only "Mr. Campbell" to her, until Ryan finds himself captivated by her writing and she is forced to face their mutual attraction. His cocky know-it-all syndrome is enough to send her running in the other direction, and his posse of female admirers and playboy reputation are enough to squander any odds in her favor.
But underneath Ryan's abrasive façade is something to behold, and she can't stay away for long. Ryan and Kate must decide who they're willing to become and fight against their former selves if they want to make things work. That's if academia, vicious vixens, old skeletons, and their own mastery at self-destruction don't pummel their efforts first.
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Review:
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had heard amazing things about Rachael Wade's new adult series and was anxious to see how I liked it personally. I have to admit to a perverse curiosity with the whole teacher-student dynamic when it pertains to a love story. If not done correctly it could read like a bad written version of pornography. I usually stay away from realistic romantic reads (I am more a vampire and werewolf love story type of girl), but something about either the cover, the author's prestige, or the synopsis of this book drew me in. What did I have to lose?
The story opens on the entire foundation of all things that affect Ryan Campbell. He is confronted with the fact that the women had devoted his life to and who he had one day planned to make his wife, had betrayed him and, in doing so, ended up costing him the opportunity of a lifetime. Ryan takes to teaching as a simple way to earn a paycheck after no longer feeling the desire to put his writing skills to use. It is only when he eyes alight on the ambitious girl in his creative writing class and feel the sting of her sharp tongue and ferocious determination that he soon finds his drive as well as the desire to cease his playboy bed-hopping ways.
Kate had no intentions of ever entering a relationship in the immediate future. She had options as the beautiful girl that she is, but with caring for her sick mother, attempting to make ends meet financially, and a strenuous school schedule, love is the last thing she needs. She especially doesn't need the affections of a callous, arrogant professor who has set his sights on making her his next notch on his bedpost. And yet... despite all the signs saying that Ryan is no good for her and will only end up burning her in the end, she finds herself drawn to him in a way she never thought possible.
With mutual troubles of the heart and commitment issues the likes of which none of seen before, can Kate and Ryan find a happily ever after together or are they barreling down the path of being burned yet again?
This may sound odd, but I absolutely ADORE books that make me cry. If I can find some sort of connection with the characters to the point where their pain is MY pain, there is something special within those pages. This book brought me to loathsome, yet soothing, tears on a number of occasions. Everyone in this world has probably been cheated on and I am sure everyone has some sort of commitment issues every once in a blue moon. Bad break-up = Over-dramatic statement of never dating again? Ring any bells? Take something small like that example and multiply it by 10. That is the mental suck-fest that Kate and Ryan seem to have to deal with.
I love when stories alternate perspectives. This book is written entirely through Kate's perspective and then towards the end you get a little snippet of Ryan's perspective upon meeting Kate. It was amazing and sheer genius to add that small tidbit.
One draw back... Rachael seems to be a fan of saying "deadpanned me/him/her". The phrase was used several times and it just doesn't sound right to me. I have never heard it used with a pronoun attached at the end. It was a bit odd, but not to hard to get over. It only gave me a very moderate quirk of the eyebrow.
Preservation gives new definition to "Hot for Teacher" and brings a hot, ever prevalent, fantasy into literary stardom. Sidenote: Ryan Campbell can keep me after class any day.
I had heard amazing things about Rachael Wade's new adult series and was anxious to see how I liked it personally. I have to admit to a perverse curiosity with the whole teacher-student dynamic when it pertains to a love story. If not done correctly it could read like a bad written version of pornography. I usually stay away from realistic romantic reads (I am more a vampire and werewolf love story type of girl), but something about either the cover, the author's prestige, or the synopsis of this book drew me in. What did I have to lose?
The story opens on the entire foundation of all things that affect Ryan Campbell. He is confronted with the fact that the women had devoted his life to and who he had one day planned to make his wife, had betrayed him and, in doing so, ended up costing him the opportunity of a lifetime. Ryan takes to teaching as a simple way to earn a paycheck after no longer feeling the desire to put his writing skills to use. It is only when he eyes alight on the ambitious girl in his creative writing class and feel the sting of her sharp tongue and ferocious determination that he soon finds his drive as well as the desire to cease his playboy bed-hopping ways.
Kate had no intentions of ever entering a relationship in the immediate future. She had options as the beautiful girl that she is, but with caring for her sick mother, attempting to make ends meet financially, and a strenuous school schedule, love is the last thing she needs. She especially doesn't need the affections of a callous, arrogant professor who has set his sights on making her his next notch on his bedpost. And yet... despite all the signs saying that Ryan is no good for her and will only end up burning her in the end, she finds herself drawn to him in a way she never thought possible.
With mutual troubles of the heart and commitment issues the likes of which none of seen before, can Kate and Ryan find a happily ever after together or are they barreling down the path of being burned yet again?
This may sound odd, but I absolutely ADORE books that make me cry. If I can find some sort of connection with the characters to the point where their pain is MY pain, there is something special within those pages. This book brought me to loathsome, yet soothing, tears on a number of occasions. Everyone in this world has probably been cheated on and I am sure everyone has some sort of commitment issues every once in a blue moon. Bad break-up = Over-dramatic statement of never dating again? Ring any bells? Take something small like that example and multiply it by 10. That is the mental suck-fest that Kate and Ryan seem to have to deal with.
I love when stories alternate perspectives. This book is written entirely through Kate's perspective and then towards the end you get a little snippet of Ryan's perspective upon meeting Kate. It was amazing and sheer genius to add that small tidbit.
One draw back... Rachael seems to be a fan of saying "deadpanned me/him/her". The phrase was used several times and it just doesn't sound right to me. I have never heard it used with a pronoun attached at the end. It was a bit odd, but not to hard to get over. It only gave me a very moderate quirk of the eyebrow.
Preservation gives new definition to "Hot for Teacher" and brings a hot, ever prevalent, fantasy into literary stardom. Sidenote: Ryan Campbell can keep me after class any day.
