Released: March 15, 2016
Contemporary Romance
Self Published
Reviewed by Mandi
On the night she graduates from seminary, Jordan Sykes finds herself in bed with Dominic Lawrence, the ethics professor she’s crushed on for years. Two months later, she discovers she’s pregnant and is determined to hide it to protect his career. Maybe, if she loves her new church like hell, they won’t fire her for being a single mother.
Dominic knows the difference between right and wrong, and he’s filled with remorse after sleeping with his favorite student. He’s offered the job of his dreams, but he’d be a hypocrite to accept without making things right with Jordan first.
Dominic proposes marriage to save their careers, never expecting they will prove a perfect—and passionate—match. But can Jordan give her heart to a man who still believes the first night they spent together was a mistake?
Favorite Quote: “The thing is, Dominic, you’re not only a sexual object to me. But I would sleep much better, and preach a knock-out sermon tomorrow, if you’d just come inside and bend me over the kitchen table for a quickie before you go home.”
When I received this review request, this blurb both fascinated me and scared me a little. The premise is different and sounded a little – controversial. I was nervous how the subject matter would be handled. Would it be an inspirational romance which I don’t really read? (it’s not). Would it be too sensationalized? (it’s not). For me, and I think this is a book that will have different reactions for everyone based on your own experiences. I thought it was well done.
As the blurb states, the night of Jordan’s graduation from seminary, the night she becomes an official Episcopalian priest, Jordan has a one night stand with her ethics professor, The Reverend Doctor Dominic Lawrence, Professor of Christian Ethics and her academic advisor.
Ooops.
Well, actually, not so much oops. Jordan had been extremely attracted to him throughout school, but never made it known or acted on her attraction. After graduation, they go out with a group of people for drinks, and they end up together that night. Jordan was pretty sure she had received a birth control shot in March, which is supposed to last three months, so she was covered. Later she realizes she had the shot in February, hence the pregnancy. (this plays into a later conflict that I didn’t love – I’ll come back to it).
Two months after graduation, Jordan takes a pregnancy test and it’s positive. She has just started as a priest at a small church, and can’t believe this is happening to her. She decides to wait to tell Dominic until it is confirmed by her doctor.
Dominic is having massive guilt over sleeping with Jordan. Besides being a Christian ethics professor, he also investigates claim of sexual abuse among priests. Those that have had relationships with their parishioners, and possibly abusing their power.
Since that night, he’d lived with the knowledge he was as reprehensible as the men he investigated. His body had succumbed to the temptation of a beautiful woman, his ego to the illusion of being wanted. Two modes of weaknesses he despised.
His current investigation is that of a priest who has been accused of pressuring one of his parishioners into a relationship, only to dump her soon afterward. She gave up her job for him and now wants retribution. Dominic is feeling like he even though he was extremely attracted to Jordan, and she was technically no longer his student, he still – in his mind – abused his position.
Nowadays, the church made no formal distinction between seducer and coercer – because of the power inherent in the priest’s role, all seduction was coercion. Any employee or parishioner fell under one’s pastoral responsibility and might see their priest as a symbol or agent of God. Sex was a clear exploitation of that imbalanced relationship. Just as no matter how much Jordan had insisted she wanted Dominic, as her teacher, he’d taken advantage.
When he finally works up the nerve to apologize to Jordan, she wants to hear nothing of it. She loved that night together, and proclaims that she is an adult who made a logical decision. Then he learns she is pregnant.
The story then goes on to follow their journey into dating, romance, overcoming Dominic’s guilt, and finally telling their bosses and religious community about their situation. Dominic is desperate to make it all right, and proposes marriage pretty quickly. They want to make it work together, as they spend more time together they realize they do like and eventually love each other. I like that Jordan is steadfast in the fact that she wants to keep her job because she loves the people in her community, but if it means only getting married to keep her job, she won’t have it. She has confidence and a strong mind, and I really enjoyed her.
Dominic is more – intense. His feelings of guilt are intense. His lust for Jordan is intense. He grew up with a priest for a father who had numerous affairs and this weighs heavy on Dominic’s mind. His father’s abuse of power plays demons within his own head.
Dominic and Jordan’s relationship in this book is very sexy. Several sex scenes, that are very hot indeedy!
My only complaint is how butt-hurt Dominic gets when he finds out Jordan forgot she took the birth control shot in February instead of March. It was a very honest mistake on her part – and I get a mistake like this has huge consequences – but this conflict felt very forced in my opinion. Like we had to have some sort of conflict right at the end of the book so it was pushed in there. It didn’t feel needed. There was already so much internal and external conflict and pressure throughout the book due to the nature of their relationship.
But there is a happy ending! I really like this author’s voice. Great pacing and a sexy romance. I’ll read her again.
Grade: B
I saw this on Twitter and I am looking forward to reading it. Apparently I have a thing for dirty, religious books these days.