Synopsis
Annaliese Harper knows that one tiny mistake can jeopardize a career before it’s even begun. Letting your boss find the extensive collection of porn on your personal laptop is one way. Sleeping with him is another. Liese manages to do both.
As the new librarian at a prestigious small-town private high school, Liese is drawn to her sexy, charismatic principal, Ryder Whitehall—an attraction she refuses to acknowledge given their relationship and her recent liberation from a delusional ex-boyfriend.
Liese is certain Ryder’s flirtation is the product of her sex-deprived imagination—until he discovers her digital porn stash during working hours and demands a private meeting. Behind closed doors, their attraction explodes into a dangerous, passionate affair that not only threatens their jobs and reputations, but most of all, their hearts.
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1xbauQu
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1x3kasU
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23203583-the-librarian-principle?from_search=true
Review
It’s always the quiet ones – the ones who look all proper and pristine on the outside, but have a sex kitten inside waiting to be unleashed with the right guy. Too bad the one Annaliese wants to let her inner vixen out with is someone who’s supposed to be off limits – the one who hired her as the new librarian of Fullerton Academy of Higher Learning, the principal, Ryder Whitehead.
It’s a bit taboo for a principal to date/have a relationship with one of his subordinates. It’s more than frowned upon, and it could end up destroying careers. With those complications in mind, Liese does everything that she can to control her emotions when it comes to her attraction for Ryder, but the amount of time they spend together only adds more fire to the flames of desire she feels towards him, and when he happens to stumble upon a group of files where he’s the main attraction, all suppressed feelings both of them feel towards one another can’t help but be exposed and acted upon.
But is there hope for a relationship that has to be kept secret? And, can they keep their hands off of each other long enough to not expose their relationship and ruin not only the connection they share but also their careers?
The Librarian Principle was my first Helena Hunting read, and I loved it. Even though it’s told in third person, Hunting does a great job of giving readers Liese’s internal ramblings. She’s a pretty introverted person, so it’s important to get inside her head to truly understand everything that’s going through her mind when her interactions with Ryder become more than platonic and also when they have to sneak around in order to be together.
Even though there’s not a lot of drama or angst in the story, there are still situations where emotions are high and actions weigh heavily on decisions made. The will they or won’t they give into their feelings scenario slowly turns into the will they or won’t they get caught situation, which evolves into a number of different intense scenes where Liese and Ryder have to try to figure out how to make a relationship work when there are a significant amount of obstacles in their way – and some are actually their own doing.
Liese and Ryder’s story is a sweet and sexy read of what two people are willing to do for the right person. They both may seem reserved and put together on the outside, but boy do they know how to let themselves go and tear up the sheets. Ryder definitely epitomizes the whole “a gentleman in public and a master in the bedroom” idea, and Liese is ever so willing to allow him to master her;)
Looking forward to going back and reading Helena Hunting’s Clipped Wings series as well as any future releases. She’s definitely an excellent storyteller!
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
4 poison apples
Excerpt
“How very naughty of you,” he slipped his pinkie under the garter and pulled, only to let it snap back against her thigh. Mouth covering hers, he swallowed her shocked protest. Ryder’s palms smoothed along the inside of her thigh, his fingertips grazing the edge of her panties. She felt the feather-light brush of his knuckle right where the ache was deadliest.
Liese whimpered, her body jerking with the contact, desperate for the feel of his hands on her without the inconvenient obstruction of clothing.
“Shh.” His lips brushed over hers, and his thumb slipped beneath the elastic. “We wouldn’t want anyone to think you enjoy your meetings with me. What if people got the wrong idea? Then I might have to discipline you for your indiscretions.”
“We wouldn’t want that.” Liese bit back a nervous laugh, uncertain whether to take him seriously. Something told her he meant it when he said he would discipline her, and she might very well enjoy being on the receiving end.
“Speak for yourself. I think I’d rather enjoy handing out a punishment where you’re concerned.” Ryder’s hand tightened in her hair as his lips traveled along her jaw, drawing out the sweetest of tortures. He pushed aside her panties, finger sweeping over the smooth skin.
Liese couldn’t help it; she moaned, parting her legs further in encouragement.
Ryder stopped, both his fingers and mouth stilled. “What did I just tell you?” His teeth pressed softly against the juncture of her shoulder and neck, an erotic warning.
“Sorry, sir.” She draped her arms over his shoulders and fingered the hair at the nape of his neck—a weak attempt to draw his attention away from her inability to follow direction and keep quiet.
“I really shouldn’t do this.” His lips parted against her throat, and his tongue swept along her skin.
“Please.” Liese feared Ryder’s conscience would catch up with his actions, and he would remember just how much trouble being together like this could cause. She chose to bury that knowledge, along with her better judgment, when she trailed her hands down his chest to his belt.
“Tell me what you want,” he said.
Supplication merged with abject longing, and Ryder’s fingers twitched, a reminder of how close they were to a place she wanted them to go, but shouldn’t. Regardless, she didn’t want him to stop.
With shaking hands, she answered the question with actions: grasping his belt buckle, she unhooked the clasp.
His breath fanned over her cheek on a warm sigh. Ryder’s fingers moved lower. “You have no idea how difficult it’s been,” he whispered as he kissed his way over her cheek to the corner of her mouth. At the same time he circled, teased, and then suddenly pushed inside, his fingers curled, sensation radiating from the center of her body to consume her in a flash fire of desire.
Liese inhaled a high-pitched gasp, heedless of Ryder’s warning to stay quiet. She couldn’t get enough of him, of his body close to hers, of his fingers moving inside her. He pushed her closer to a precipice she hadn’t been anywhere near in a very long time, at least not with another person.
She fumbled with the fly on his pants, wanting to touch him as he touched her. In her haste, the button popped off and ricocheted off the desk, bouncing onto the floor.
Ryder broke the kiss and looked to where she held the waistband of his pants together. “These are expensive pants, and I don’t sew,” he told her.
Liese wanted to laugh at his seriousness juxtaposed with the way he caressed her body. “Would you like me to sew it back on right now?” She slid her finger beneath the elastic band at his waist, dipping into his boxers until she grazed something smooth and hard and pretty damn sizable.
His eyes closed, jaw tightening and nostrils flaring. On a deep inhale he opened lust-heavy lids to watch her. “No, I was just stating a fact. I also find it incredibly hot that you’d be willing to sew it back on immediately.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
About the Author
Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s putting her degree in English Lit to good use by writing contemporary erotic romance. She is the author of Clipped Wings, her debut novel, and Inked Armor.
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