A Sexy and Surprisingly Serious Foray into Being Hot for the Teacher...
2020 has been a year of me needing quick and easy reads. Let’s face it, this year has been heavy enough, so heavy in fact that the dark and devious, violent filled dystopian tropes I normally prefer have been more difficult to embrace. That being said, I still like something a bit to the side of everyday, something dirtier, messier, and far more complicated than your normal, vanilla romance fodder. And there are few better authors for such lusty, forbidden yet heartfelt stories out there than Penny Wylder; her latest book, “The Dating Lesson” is yet another glorious example of why Wylder is my go-to gal for topics labeled “taboo”.
“The Dating Lesson” is a sexy, rollercoaster of a book that will suck you into the deliciously dirty world of fast paced, online hookups, and the complications they can bring to everyday life. The story of Kimmy, a twenty-one year old law student, a young woman determined to become a lawyer and help defend the defenseless. A woman resolute to aid those unable to afford proper legal representation, painfully familiar with how they are often railroaded into jail cells merely because they could not afford the help they needed. Poor people like her own father and brother, both of whom are sitting in jail, falsely convicted of a crime they did not commit, and in desperate need of help to right the wrongs that bulldozed them into prison in the first place. And Leo, a thirty-six year old law professor, who unbeknownst to him, begins a scorching hot online affair with his soon to be student, Kimmy. A woman he finds on a dating app they both use, and begins a torrid encounter that rocks both their worlds.
What follows is page after magnificent page of blistering chemistry and heart wrenching worry and despair. Here, Wylder paints a human connection so intense it is impossible to look away for even a second, even if it will make the timid blush bright red! Here she writes a connection so scandalous, that it in turn creates a situation so impossible for Leo and Kimmy that is finds Leo risking his job and life as he knows it, and Kimmy risking her future, as well as, the future freedom of the two men she is working so hard for. All for the sake of what is happening between them, something so wild, so irrational that both know they should avoid it at all costs but are emotionally unable to stop. An instant connection between two people so feverish, so beyond comprehension, it will leave, you, panting…
My only complaint here is that it felt stunted in parts. I honestly could have read another thirty chapters on these two. And would have loved to have had an expanded view of the time span following the bar incident with Brenna and the epilogue. And I especially would have loved to have read more of the aftermath that followed the final rumors interaction at the coffee shop. Skipping over those following months and years was disappointing to say the least, especially considering the smart and strong character development woven throughout. Characters I would have loved to have followed throughout the entire arc of their growth as a couple and as individuals dealing with the consequences of their choices.
Here once again Wylder writes a female protagonist that is equal in intelligence, drive, and skill to that of the male. She pens a story world that is intricate and thoughtful, weaving fantasy and reality together seamlessly, creating something exhilarating and fierce. It will give you all of the feels and punch you in all the emotional places, leaving you begging for more Kimmy and Leo.