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.
Kindle Edition, 275 pages
Published April 7th 2014 by Amazon Digital Services
Source: eArc received from author in exchange for review
Purchase this book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Veiled Innocence Trailer -
OUR REVIEW:
So Ella Frank popped my cherry ...I'd adamantly refused to read any novels about a student/teacher seduction until this book because..well..I'm a teacher..of 18 year olds. Honestly, the thought of having a student try to seduce me or the idea of me trying to seduce a student creeps me the fuck out. I just don't see my students that way and so I had to take a deep breath and just ignore my teacher brain as I was reading this. It was hard to do..I found that I was constantly thinking about how I'd react to all of this as a teacher..a mom..a woman. I was worried about my dear blog partner when we started this...but if anyone would be able to pull out an epic hail mary and make it all worth the angst and insane feelings it was definitely Ella Frank!
I like that Ella likes to do things that aren't always expected. I found it interesting that the student, Addison, was the pursuer and the teacher, Grayson, was the initially resistant one being pursued. Even in his resistance to Addison, Grayson was instantly curious about her. He tried mightily to convince himself to walk away, to do the right thing, to ignore what he was feeling and yet she just kept pushing his buttons. Addison read him so well. She tracked his every movement and preyed on him. She was a young, but powerful seductress. And even though a part of me saw her as a girl trying to be a woman, I truly appreciated how she owned her sexuality. I appreciated how she came to see her role in what was happening and to, eventually, own it.
She did own it. I think her past played a huge factor in this though. She has so much going on with her family tragedies, her parents being grade-A assholes, and her friends being the same as well...she is alone. And then she sees this beacon of light come into her life...I mean, who can't relate to that...even if it is someone you're not supposed to feel that spark with. I can remember the exact moment I saw my husband for the first time, and exactly what I felt...even if there was no way we were even close to being together until much later. So you never know...and while I would freak the fuck out if it was my daughter...I can't say that I was not rooting for this couple with everything I had. Though, I was putting on my harness ready for the free fall when the other shoe dropped!
She did own it. I think her past played a huge factor in this though. She has so much going on with her family tragedies, her parents being grade-A assholes, and her friends being the same as well...she is alone. And then she sees this beacon of light come into her life...I mean, who can't relate to that...even if it is someone you're not supposed to feel that spark with. I can remember the exact moment I saw my husband for the first time, and exactly what I felt...even if there was no way we were even close to being together until much later. So you never know...and while I would freak the fuck out if it was my daughter...I can't say that I was not rooting for this couple with everything I had. Though, I was putting on my harness ready for the free fall when the other shoe dropped!
I'm still having a hard time separating my daily life from this novel. I have a hard time not seeing both of these characters as reckless and foolish and selfish. Neither of them had any regard for the impact of this relationship on the other. Sure, they logically knew that it wasn't a good idea but, they were so caught up in how they felt that they couldn't step away, couldn't take a break, couldn't stop the train wreck that was bound to happen. *pats Shel on the head, while giving her a side-hug* I understand. Though, I loved how much Addison's youth showed through. She was a girl, not yet a woman...and no one better crack a Britney joke, there, for reals...but her passion and spirit was written so beautifully (even though I wouldn't wish a repeat of some teen years on anyone) it was believable, and yes reckless and foolish and selfish but also made my heart race.
I feel like there's more to this story. The relationships of the secondary characters to the primary ones could definitely be further explained and developed. I'd love to know more, too, about where Ella sees Addison and Grayson in the future. I think there's definitely room for more story..more of if/how they move forward from the clusterfuck of what happened between them. I don't want it to be a standalone either. So, without repeating...what she said. BTW, Ella Frank writes some killer steam, y'all. Killer.
Shelley: 4 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars
GIVEAWAY:Courtney: 4 Stars
The prizes for the Rafflecopter consist of -
A $150 Gift Card to Victoria’s Secret
A Women’s Silver Glitz Fossil watch – Tick, tick, tock…
A $50 Gift Card to Amazon
A $25 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble
2 Signed Copies of Veiled Innocence
5 Ella Frank eBooks (Winner’s Choice)
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