MISCONDUCT – Penelope Douglas
NAL
ISBN: 978-0-451-47728-6
December 2015
Contemporary Romance

New Orleans – Present Day

Easton Bradbury has never forgotten the chance encounter with Tyler Marek several months ago. Sure, it's led to a few fantasies, but Easton knows they are not likely to ever meet again. Instead of daydreaming her life away, she focuses entirely on her first year of teaching at a prestigious private academy. And the new school year looks great, until she meets one of her new students, Christian Marek, and finds out his father plans to have a very active role in Christian's school work.

Tyler can't believe he's run into Easton again, and that she is so surely off-limits. But he's never been one to deny himself anything. Easton and Tyler begin their relationship, keeping themselves hidden away not only from Christian's notice, but the local voters Tyler is trying to win over to get the Senate seat. But it might not just be their illicit affair endangering their reputations – Easton has a frightening past and it might be back to bite them both.

Author Penelope Douglas takes several taboo subjects – a man sleeping with his son's teacher, and their over ten year age difference – and blends them seamlessly into a story so good, the reader won't be able to put it down. The story line itself is a whirlwind of falling in love and realizing the real world isn't going to make it easy, but it's the characters that make this book shine.

Tyler and Easton felt so incredibly real and are worried about real-life issues despite their glamorous fictional life. Tyler is worried about being a good father to his son. Easton is worried that her teaching methods might cause a stir with other teachers at the school. They joke with one another and the people around them. The dialogue and characterization of each of the main characters was spot on and a true joy to read.

Amanda Toth