Saturday, July 8, 2017

BOOK REVIEW: His Virgin by Sabrina Paige

3.95 Stars

Gabrielle “Gabe” Ryan is a published author and writing professor.  His new student, Purity Taylor, is the daughter of his former childhood friend.  Purity’s been sheltered all her life, raised in a small southern town by her fire and brimstone preacher father. She wants some freedom, and she’s managed to get accepted into an out of state school and a by-application-only coveted writing class.
“I tell myself that I’m being appropriately distant even as I imagine her on her knees between my legs while I read her paper aloud… And it doesn’t feel like that big of a deal—at least, until I come all over Purity’s writing assignment.”
I thoroughly enjoyed the classroom and grading scenes where writing and feedback were discussed. Honestly, it made me a little nostalgic for my old college days. But I appreciated how those scenes touched on what’s so important about being readers and writers and how it should be an active, not passive process. The scene where Purity’s lust piece is discussed was great because it shows a real literary discussion in process, with the students throwing out responses as feedback and the professor challenging them to fine tune their analysis and in the process enhance Purity’s writing.  The message here—that of being an intuitive, critical readers as well as a writer who can grow and improve with the right kind of direction and feedback—is so very important in this real world community we all take part in, and if for nothing else, I’d recommend this book simply for those scenes and themes alone.

As far as the rest of the story goes, I did struggle to connect with the characters in the beginning. In the first quarter there’s a lot of ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’ when it comes to their attraction to each other, and the smut at that point is all in their heads to which I’d prefer see play out for real. Which it eventually does and the story became more engaging once their interactions with each other increase. Their role play was super hot:
“‘Unfortunately, only good little girls get to see their teachers’ cocks.’”
There’s plenty of it too:
“‘Did I tell you to turn around and look at me, or did I tell you to bend your mouthy little ass over the desk?’”
And Purity becomes more fun as the story moves along.
“I don’t think I’ve learned my lesson at all. I only want to push more of his buttons, to get a reaction out of him. I wonder what forms of punishment I could earn for not learning my lesson.”
The reveal at the climax was a good twist that I did not see coming. I wish a little more time would have been spent on its resolution though.  I was left wondering about the future of those side characters. There’s another bonus epilogue to come for newsletter subscribers so hopefully it will be addressed there.

I also struggled a bit picturing the characters. Purity is 18. Gabe is roughly 37. But then Purity’s roommate likens Gabe’s appeal as an older man in a suit to that of George Clooney, (and don’t get me wrong, George Clooney is a good looking man) but he’s also 56 with distinguishable gray. Then there's the cover, which is well done and visually appealing; but the couple doesn’t seem to fit the characterization either. The female model looks older than 18, while the hot, tattooed male model doesn’t look close to 37. 

While there’s an author note in the beginning explaining that the story is set at a fictional Pennsylvania school, apparently it’s also set in a fictional version of the state because at one point Gabe’s editor rolls off with the ridiculous line, “You’re in Pennsylvania!...There aren’t any damned tunnels in Pennsylvania.”  The real Pennsylvania does in fact have tunnels and a fairly well known highway system called the turnpike with tunnels, originally built to give better access through the mountains. The landscape is not just farmland in the keystone state.

Those issues aside, it’s still a light-hearted, fun and cleaver erotic standalone that is refreshingly void of OW/OM drama. Told via Gabe and Purity’s alternating first person POV, this is a forbidden teacher-student romance with the added taboo element of Purity’s religious background/family.
 “‘That filthy little mouth of yours…I’m going to wash it out with my cum.’”
Quite the incentive to 1-click!  😉

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