First in a series of novellas about women who meet a
charming man named Ramon, the tale begins with career-woman
Grace in her university office wondering about BREAKING THE
RULES by supervising a man who has applied to study female
eroticism. This is regarded as a woman's subject and she
has to suspect that Ramón is a creep. But he turns out to
interview well, keen to explore Taoism, the Kama Sutra and
modern media in an effort to understand women better. The
establishment thinks it would be politically correct to
have a woman supervising his work. Against her better
judgement Grace agrees.
While Grace gets on well with male colleagues as peers, a
few very ordinary relationships have left her in her
forties unwilling to waste her time and energy in romances.
The Spaniard keeps showing up late, but his charm disarms
her and during their discussion Ramon explains that while
he admires her methodology he disputes her conclusions. If
he can convince her that his theories are sound, he can
convince anyone. He has his own way of convincing, and it's
along the lines of seduction.
A pleasant counterpoint to today's rash of erotic novels
with domineering males who expect women to do as they say
because they were beaten until they were six, BREAKING THE
RULES takes a serious stance and turns it on its head. How,
after all, can one understand erotic states without
experiencing them? Wouldn't it be a good idea to
experience pleasure before dissecting it in a
dissertation? I did wonder how a university would react to
a student licking his lecturer's legs, and there are other
funny moments, such as when Grace's heart sinks because
she's experiencing passion and has no idea what to do with
it. Breathing more deeply, enjoying sunlight, are simple
changes for the character which we can all make in our
lives, to take a little more delight in every day.
Knowing that this was the first in a series I was not
expecting a full relationship to build, and clearly it is
BREAKING THE RULES for a lecturer to make love with her PhD
student, but Kate Belle has provided a way out of the
situation which leaves us satisfied. This is a very nicely
written tale of self-discovery through erotica.
Grace is a beautiful woman in complete control of her world.
A long time ago she chose a career – as Associate Professor
of Social Science - over children and marriage, and has
never regretted it.
Then Ramon Mendez walks into her office.
Ramon is about to commence his PhD, a work on erotic
literature, and from the outset there is something about him
that makes Grace's blood run hot.
Aware of the need to maintain her professional reputation,
she rejects his subtle advances, but he persists. And during
their intimate supervision sessions, her defences start to
crumble.
For Ramon's ‘work' is to expose desires within Grace she
never knew existed