Playing with Trouble: Capital Confessions

I thought this one was awesome. A great forbidden attraction story between a professor and his student that definitely turns into so much more! It's very well written, great pace, and I loved the characters. There's steamy hot chemistry but also a very touching love story. It's a great look at the dirty side of politics and the toll it takes on a family as well. This can easily be read stand alone but I definitely have to go back and read book 1 in this series! Graydon Cantor came from nothing, made it big, then lost it all. Now he's getting his life back on track, the last thing he needs is an uncontrollable attraction to one of his students. Add in the fact that she is the daughter of a powerful politician and nothing but trouble can lay ahead. Gray knows that, but when they are paired together to work on a project the attraction is too strong to ignore. Blair Reynolds has lived her whole life as the good daughter. Just once she wants to experience life on her terms. When she realizes her attraction for her professor isn't one sided she knows this may be the one thing worth breaking the rules for. I highly recommend this one.

My Rating: 4.5 Favorite Quotes: “He smelled like winter, which was utterly ridiculous and the absolute truth at the same time.” “You’re not going to make this something tawdry and cheap by pretending you’re some lecherous professor preying on a young, virginal student. I may have been having bad sex, but I’m far from a virgin.” “It means you’re hot in the kind of way that makes lady parts stand at attention. In a completely wild, unrestrained, sexy sort of way…” “I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anyone. It was a gnawing hunger in the pit of my stomach, the feeling that no matter how much I ate, I’d never be full.” “Do you know that every single time I read a book and some guy rips the heroine’s underwear off, I think to myself that seems too difficult to believe. Like, are they just poor quality or have they been washed too many times, or what? Because I’m twenty-three years old and no one has ever ripped my underwear off. I’m calling BS on the whole thing.” “And just like that I gave up trying to be the man I thought she deserved and became the man she wanted.” My Review: Playing with Trouble see-sawed between being a fun and humorous read, and a more complicated and emotional laden professor/student romance, with lots of family drama and tension thrown in. Blair is the “good girl” type that works hard at being “beige,” not standing out, pleasing others, and avoiding conflict; yet she just cannot seem to please her political parents, regardless of how hard she tries or sacrifices. A series of epic fails blow-up in her face that spark an epiphany, and brings the world into focus for her. I enjoyed the new and improved model of Blair and wanted those in her life to see and appreciate her as well. I enjoyed the story line, and found the characters to be well nuanced, interesting, and complicated. Ms. Cleeton’s writing held my attention, and was clever as well as entertaining and deliciously steamy. I wish I had started with the first book, Flirting With Scandal, and would most likely enjoy continuing on with the rest of this series.