Review ~ Misconduct ~ Penelope Douglas

Misconduct by Penelope Douglas
Published by NAL on December 1, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchase

Former tennis player Easton Bradbury is trying to be the best teacher she can be, trying to reach her bored students and trying to forget her past. What brought her to this stage in her life isn’t important. She can’t let it be. But now one parent-teacher meeting may be her undoing…

Meeting Tyler Marek for the first time makes it easy for Easton to see why his son is having trouble in school. The man knows how to manage businesses and wealth, not a teenage boy. Or a young teacher, for that matter, though he tries to. And yet…there is something about him that draws Easton in—a hint of vulnerability, a flash of attraction, a spark that might burn.

Wanting him is taboo. Needing him is undeniable. And his long-awaited touch will weaken Easton’s resolve—and reveal what should stay hidden…

With Misconduct, PDouglas cemented her place as one of my all-time favorite authors. Misconduct takes two familiar tropes – age-gap plus off-limits romance – and makes them fresh and utterly gripping. When I wasn’t reading about Easton and Tyler, I was thinking about them. So, so good!

Easton is a former junior tennis star who gave up that life as circumstances dictated. Those circumstances have kept her distrusting and leery of men and relationships. She keeps to herself and is only close with her brother. She’s embarking on a new career in teaching and with her brother at her back, she’s poised to make a difference.

Tyler is a self-made very wealthy man. Having made a name for himself in business, he has his sights set on public office now. He hopes to put his skills to good use making a difference socially for the people of NOLA and beyond. But Tyler is not without flaws and his biggest failure has been the lack of a relationship with his son. With his son’s mother out of the country for a year, Tyler is determined to rectify this mistake. Only one problem: Christian’s teacher is the one woman Tyler can’t get out of his head.

I loved the scene where Easton and Tyler meet. The chemistry fairly crackled through my kindle screen. It was that visceral. And then Easton disappears without leaving her name or getting his. LOL When Tyler later meets Easton at Back to School night, the interaction was as comical as it was electric.

I appreciated how PDouglas showcased Easton’s teaching methods. It was exciting and relevant and made me wish I could teach. I also like how PDouglas demonstrated the passion both Easton and Tyler had for their careers and the ways in which it translated into their goals for making the world a better place. Easton also worked hard at helping Tyler find ways to reach Christian, to begin forging the bonds he was so desperate to build, even if he was entering the game late.

Misconduct had a lot going on besides the blossoming romance. The suspense element was well conceived and executed as it stemmed from Easton’s past. The career and family elements were also well crafted. The romance was electrifying. Of course, Easton and Tyler had chemistry but they also challenged each other in ways no one else could. Their relationship was a meeting of the minds as well as bodies. I loved every minute of watching them become what they did while also attempting to keep out of the public eye. And I admired the way they ended up folding Christian into the mix. It was genuine and beautiful.

I enjoyed meeting and fangirling over PDouglas at Book Bonanza. I also intend to read more from her backlist this year. If you like books with gripping storylines that don’t shy away from, well, anything, and revolve around characters that weave their way into your heart and mind, give PDouglas a shot. I daresay you won’t be disappointed. 😉

 

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• Unearthing a Bookish Bounty 2022

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