Thursday, December 10, 2015

*Review* Misconduct by Penelope Douglas

Photo Credit: Goodreads
Genre: Erotic Romance
Published: December 1, 2015
Pages: 401

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Fall Away series who never fails to deliver a “powerfully written contemporary love story…”* 

Former tennis player Easton Bradbury is trying to be the best teacher she can be, trying to reach her bored students and trying to forget her past. What brought her to this stage in her life isn’t important. She can’t let it be. But now one parent-teacher meeting may be her undoing…

Meeting Tyler Marek for the first time makes it easy for Easton to see why his son is having trouble in school. The man knows how to manage businesses and wealth, not a teenage boy. Or a young teacher, for that matter, though he tries to. And yet…there is something about him that draws Easton in—a hint of vulnerability, a flash of attraction, a spark that might burn.

Wanting him is taboo. Needing him is undeniable. And his long-awaited touch will weaken Easton’s resolve—and reveal what should stay hidden…


Review

I eagerly anticipated the release of Misconduct for months and it was totally worth the wait. It was evocative and gripping and I didn't want to put it down. Unfortunately my family expects me to feed them, so I had to at times.

One of my favorite aspects of this story was the insight into the classroom from the teacher's perspective. I also loved her innovative ideas for the classroom and would personally love to see some of those methods instituted in my children's classrooms when they're a little older.

The interactions between Easton and Tyler were great. Their banter really helped to show me their personalities. And their more ... personal ... interactions were absolutely sizzling.

There was one aspect of the story that I found rather underwhelming though. I don't want to go into too much detail because spoilers, but the situation felt overly dramatic but then too quickly glossed over in the end. It just really felt off for me.

Overall I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars because it kept me engaged and was overall very satisfying. - Katie 

Buy the Book


About the Author

Penelope Douglas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Fall Away series. She earned a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Northern Iowa and a master of science in education from Loyola University in New Orleans. Penelope lives in Las Vegas with her family.

Interview


What inspired you to become an author?
I wanted more out of life. I was going to a job every day that was rewarding but not fulfilling, I guess. I would go home, grade papers, take care of my family, go to sleep, and wake up the next day and live it all over again. I didn’t feel challenged, I’d stopped dreaming, and I felt like my life was getting away from me. So I escaped into books, started to love reading again, and I started dreaming again. That’s when I had my first image of Jared from BULLY. He was on his motorcycle, in the rain, dressed in a black hoodie. About 8 months later I sat down and started writing, and about 10 months later I had a book after working on it nights and weekends.   

I assume all authors also love to read, so what book inspired your love of reading?
When I was 15, it was Once a Princess by Johanna Lindsey. I read a lot of historical romances after that, and eventually stopped reading. Then, it was Twilight years later. I started reading a lot of YA romance, and then I discovered New Adult—Slammed, Beautiful Disaster, and Easy—and I found my genre. 

How old were you when you wrote your first story?
I wrote a partial story when I was 16-17, but I wrote and published my first novel when I was 36.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Plotter! I always have an outline, simply because I dream up a story in scenes, and I don’t want to forget anything. The outline changes as I write, but I always have a general idea of what I want to accomplish that day. 

Are your characters based on people you know?
No, not really. Bits of their personality may resonate with people in my life or me, but overall, they’re fictional. 

What are some of your writing rituals?
Well, I always need snacks and music. I am also a morning person and not a night owl, so I do my best work during the day. And I always reread what I wrote the day before before I begin writing again. 

How do other books influence your writing? 
To be honest, I barely read anymore, and I don’t read a lot in my own genre. There just hasn’t been time, and I don’t read material along the lines of what I write all day. I want something different. When I do pick up a book, I look for striking content. Books that stretch my boundaries and make me feel like it’s okay to “go there.”

How do you get motivated to sit down and write with all the real world interruptions?
Well, it’s my only job. If I don’t do it, my daughter’s tuition doesn’t get paid, and we can’t continue to save for a house. That’s motivation!! ☺ Actually, I love what I do. I love to see my stories finished and loved, even if it is a struggle to get them to that point. 

Which one of your books is your favorite? 
I loved Corrupt most. The suspense and the fear factor were a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the new territory. 

If you could have a writing retreat anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be and why?
When I write, I don’t want any distractions. A retreat in a scenic place wouldn’t do me much good. I’d simply love a more comfortable office. Nicely decorated with a comfy couch to spread out on. Yep!

If your main character were an alcoholic beverage, which beverage would they be and why?
Tyler from Misconduct would probably be a bourbon or scotch neat. He’s strong, no frills. 

If you could live in a fictional world, which world would you choose and why?
Harry Potter, because hello! Butter beer!

What’s the best way to hide a body?
Well, no body. No crime. If I don’t want to get caught, I’d say cut it into pieces and feed it to the dogs. If I’m even more insane, I might stuff it, wax it, and hide it in plain sight in a wax museum. You’re scared of me right now, aren’t you?

This or That

Coke or Pepsi? Coke
Paperback or e-reader? E-Reader
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
Peeta or Gale? Peeta
Edward or Jacob? Edward
Money or love? Love….I think
Tattoos or bare? Either
Hairy or smooth? Smooth!
Call or text? Test
Hot or cold? Cold
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
Halloween or Christmas? Halloween
McDonald’s or Burger King? McDonald’s
Batman or Spiderman? Batman
Oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip? Chocolate Chip

Challenges

Misconduct has been on my TBR since it was announced because I read everything Penelope Douglas, so I used it for 1/4 of my four books block on the TBR Pile column for Book Bingo. Then I also used it to fulfill my "Set in high school" category for the Popsugar reading challenge because Easton, the female MC is a high school teacher, and several scenes take place there, so it totally counts. 

Other categories it could fulfill include
A book published this year
A book by a female author
A book with a one-word title
A book from an author I love that I hadn't read yet
A book set somewhere I've always wanted to visit (New Orleans)





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