I have a really hard time with stories where one of the partners is clearly emotionally (and, in this case apparently even physically) abusive and the other is on a mission to "fix" him. It's one thing when someone has a poor outlook and finding love helps them to have a different perspective on life. But there are enough issues in this world of people feeling stuck in abusive relationships or feeling like "If I just stick by him, he'll get better" that stories that glorify that perspective seem really skeevy to me. And I don't think that's romance, even if they magically end up "happy ever after" in the end. So I can't give this anything better than a single star. ( )

I know this author from previous stories, and I know that I have always liked, and appreciated, her effort to have unusual characters and complex relationship. So it’s no surprise at all that I liked a lot this one, about a college student who is in an almost abusive relationship with his liaison teacher.

When Marcus started the affair with Julian, he was barely legal; there should be a lot to say about a man who uses his power on a boy almost half his age to steer him toward a sexual relationship, but we see both side of the coin. Marcus is not exactly naïve, and we will learn that this was no an exclusive relationship. Marcus was plenty aware that his affair with the professor was on a time-clock and he has never deceived himself into believing there was a future for them. On the contrary, he had relationship with the professor and with other students in the full understanding this was a college fling and that real-life commitment could wait once he was out of college.

Now the time is almost up, but an unexpected chance comes unto his plate: Eric, the basketball team star, seems very interested in Marcus, but with him it’s all or nothing. Marcus knows he has to put an end to his affair with Julian before starting something with Eric, and Marcus knows also that with Eric it’s important, something that can last beyond his college years. What Marcus was not expecting is to fall in love with Julian.

I really liked how the author was unapologetic with her characters, letting the reader see all their faults, but at the same time like she managed to make them sympathetic. Despite the shitty behavior of Julian, I have always cheered for him, for Marcus to be able to see beyond the surface, to understand that Julian was hurting.

Despite the not so light matter, the novella was very sweet, perfectly in line with the seasonal romance theme.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FPZ1Y6/?tag=elimyrevandra-20