It’s no secret that I’m jonesing for contemporary romance. So I was definitely intrigued by the description of Eden Bradley’s Forbidden Fruit.

For university professor Mia Rose Curry, it was all academic: her course in alternative sexuality was a safe, socially acceptable way for her to talk about the things she desired most—but had never let herself experience. And while students crammed into her class to learn about fetishes, bondage, voyeurism, and much more, Mia kept her own raging desires, and her most private fantasies, carefully under wraps . . . until one man dared to make her secret passions a brazen reality.

Jagger James is everything Mia wants, and everything taboo: he’s gorgeous, daring—and a student. Yet Mia can’t help imagining his hands, his lips, his skin . . . all the while drawing closer and closer to this forbidden fruit. She soon discovers how much Jagger wants her, demanding that she abandon every inhibition with him. Now they are about to take a dangerous step, tempting each other’s flesh, savoring every touch and breaking every rule—knowing that this dazzling, sensual feast is only a taste of something more to come . . .

OK, the hero’s name is a little over the top. But I’m a fan of the older woman/younger man story, so Forbidden Fruit already had that—and a lot of other things—going for it: 4.5 out of 5.

Mia’s a professor; Jagger’s a student. It helps if this type of scenario doesn’t bother you. But Bradley does a good job of exploring these characters as people who are aware of this conflict. It’s something they struggle with and come to care for each other despite it. In a nice variation, the age difference isn’t the source of the conflict.

Forbidden Fruit is set in San Francisco, a setting I appreciate more since my summer trip there. It was fun to see references to streets I remember. It added a nice connection to the reading experience.

Bradley’s writing is lush and evocative. If you’ve read any of her books, you know that she writes erotica. (In other words, expect the explicit.) But the beauty of Forbidden Fruit is the story—a contemporary romance worth savoring.

As someone who never had a pet before, I’m finding dog ownership to be a bit time-consuming. Worth it? Absolutely. I’m definitely getting more exercise since my boy loves 14-mile walks. (OK, maybe they just seem like 14 miles.) I’m reading less. And I’m online a lot less. So life is changing, but I think it’s in a good way.

I’m trying to reconcile myself to the notion that I may not be going to RWA this year in Washington DC. I usually manage the trip with my tax return. This year, there’s a lot of stuff around the house that needs doing. Actually, it’s mostly my yard that needs doing. I need to create a low-maintenance, attractive, and dog-friendly space. I’ve actually been wanting to do something with my yard for a while, but now I have extra motivation. Anyway, I plan to get estimates once the snow lets up a little.

I haven’t ruled out the trip. In fact, I’m hoping I’ll be able to pull it off somehow. This might be the year I actually have the garage sale I keep postponing. We’ll see . . .

When Kristie recommends something with enthusiasm, I listen. After all, I love Lisa Kleypas’s Dreaming of You almost as much as she does. And I adored North and South. So her recommendation of Judith James’s Broken Wing caught my attention, and I ordered it immediately.

Abandoned as a child and raised in a brothel, Gabriel St. Croix has never known tenderness, friendship or affection. Although fluent in sex, he knows nothing of love. Lost and alone inside a nightmare world, all he’s ever wanted was companionship and a place to belong. Hiding physical and emotional scars behind an icy façade, his only relationship is with a young boy he has spent the last five years protecting from the brutal reality of their environment. But all that is about to change. The boy’s family has found him, and they are coming to take him home.

Sarah Munroe blames herself for her brother’s disappearance. When he’s located, safe and unharmed despite where he as been living. Sarah vows to help the man who rescued and protected him in any way she can. With loving patience she helps Gabriel face his demons and teaches him to trust in friendship and love. But when the past catches up with him, Gabriel must face it on his own.

Becoming a mercenary, pirate and a professional gambler, Gabriel travels to London, France, and the Barbary Coast in a desperate attempt to find Sarah again and all he knows of love. On the way, however, he will discover the most dangerous journey, and the greatest gamble of all, is within the darkest reaches of his own heart.

I read Broken Wing in a few days, and I enjoyed many of the things Kristie praises—Gabriel’s journey from wounded to warm and loving; Sarah’s acceptance of his past; the slow development of the romance. All of these elements, especially the last, made me read this book quickly.

Then the story takes a turn. Spoiler ahead.

I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of long separations. They don’t usually work for me, and Sarah and Gabriel spend a goodly chunk of the book separated. And I was a little disappointed in the reunion itself—mainly the way that Sarah has to seek out Gabriel after he returns to England.

Also, James’s writing style includes a tendency to tell rather than show. The technique works well in some places, since the story takes place over a long period of time. But some judicious showing would have helped me connect to the characters more.

The end result is that I liked Broken Wing but didn’t love it: 3.5 out of 5. But I’d still read any other book Kristie gets this enthusiastic about.