A Season of Eden - Jennifer Laurens - Blog Tour Review

He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible.

I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us. "I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him. He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. "Eden." My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them. "Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please." "You're going to get me in trouble," he said.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: A Season of Eden

Author: Jennifer Laurens

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing

Publication Date: October 20, 2008

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene blog tour. Many thanks goes to Jennifer Laurens for sending me a copy of her book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Tour: Teen Book Scene. You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner located below the review.

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 4/5

When Eden signs up for an easy elective course, she doesn't realize that she's going to actually enjoy the class, let alone the young, new teacher teaching the class. Eden will push the boundaries as she finds herself intrigued, and falling for her new teacher. With feelings potentially reciprocated, this read dances the fine line of taboo subjects. Teacher-student relationships are not allowed, yet there is no telling who you're going to fall for, and just what the consequences will be for such a romance. 

Eden and James are both well drawn and believable characters. Fraught with sexual tension, and pushing the boundaries, they are drawn to each other. Eden is in her senior year or school, she has just six short months until she graduates, and James is the new 22 year old music teacher. He's never been in a situation quite like this before, and knows that he shouldn't be involved with a student. However, Eden always seems to get her way, so she will push until she finds out whether he is interested or not. Though this is a book about a taboo subject, I found their relationship did not cross any major lines. Yes, she is his student, and yes it is legally wrong to date your student, but she is of the age of majority. In any other circumstance they would be legally allowed to date. Though this book could have taken a completely different route, I enjoyed the road taken. Their interactions, and their heightened feelings continued to lure me in further. 

Eden may be from the stereo-typical rich family, and may be neglected, but I enjoyed seeing how that affected how she interacted with James. I especially loved her growth throughout the book, as she realized how certain things that she did would affect others, and how her past affected not only her, but those she had had previous relationships with. 

Another aspect that I really liked was how thoroughly enjoyable A Season of Eden was. I read it during a very trying time, and found that I was immersed so completely that I was able to tune out the real world for a bit. I inhaled the story as I could easily see myself in Eden's place, walking that fine line. 

All in all, a captivating, and entertaining read. James and Eden will pull you in so thoroughly that you'll be disappointed when the book ends. Though I would have liked to see what happened afterwards, I am content with the ending we were given. Addressing some serious issues, and the choices that one has to make when in such a position, this read sizzles with sexual tension. It is definitely a must read!