As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review your titles. I have chosen to DNF this title...actually, I did a while ago but wanted to wait (although I didn't intend to wait this long) to post this so it didn't impact review decision for other reviewers.

I look forward to the next title from your authors/company.

Thanks,
Laura

This is a powerfully emotional story, black and white, good and bad, opposites meet and forbidden love evolves in a classroom, one that had me turning the pages as Connor and Olivia have a secret affair that is so very, very erotic, hot and steamy but so moving and emotional, wow.

Olivia Amorelli is studying law at a top school in London she is determined to fight for the good justice to beat the criminals and do what has to be done to be the best prosecutor, but her professor Connor Hughes is making her want to be a bad girl and not the good girl she is, man he is gorgeous and she can’t help herself when she is near him.

Top Irish defence lawyer Connor Hughes, has come to London to be a professor at a top law school in London, he has demons that he is trying to get over, he is a hard teacher but a good one, but the pull he has to one of his students is over the top, and totally forbidden for a professor and student to have an affair.

I am not sure how to explain how good and emotional this one was, what starts off as a sensual pull, a desire for sex and hot sex becomes an affair of the heart, where Olivia gets to Connor’ heart and mind, makes him see and think, they do have such a forbidden affair, one that will curl the pages of the book, I loved it from start to finish, MS Connelly you rock this one is awesome, love shines from lust and I highly recommend it.

I’ve been enjoying the Harlequin Dare books and this one does not disappoint. There is lots of hot sex, off the charts chemistry and tons of passion. The main character is Olivia Amorelli and she is a really smart law student getting ready to graduate. She will probably have her pick of places to work. One day, Connor Hughes, show up in class as a visiting professor. He is somewhat jaded (readers will find out later what happened) and Olivia is very idealistic, so there is some verbal sparring to start off the relationship. Both Olivia and Connor feel an instant attraction, but both of them also know that a relationship between them could jeopardize Olivia’s future job prospects. However, Olivia is done being a “good girl” and makes the first move. Sparks fly. The more they fight it, the more they want each other. I like that Olivia made Connor rethink the direction of his career. She may have started out as idealistic, but she knew what was right. Lots of hot sex later, readers will see how the path to a relationship unfolds. If you are looking for a quick, steamy, sexy read, this book is for you. A HEA just in time for summer.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin/Dare Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. They know they are off limits to each other, but it doesn't stop them. They want each other. she doesn't like what he represents. Not my cup of tea at all but it is well written and the characters are interesting. 3 stars. Many romance readers will enjoy-just not for me.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected.
The characters felt very one dimensional and the constant (unannounced) POV switching was very annoying because it disturbed the flow of events.
I found that the story lacked depth and I just couldn't connect to any of the characters nor the way they thought or acted. They are both very attracted to one another and have sex a couple of times, and suddenly they love eachother? Yeah no.

I usually love the student x teacher trope, but it wasn't very well executed here, in my personal opinion.

Very good read! The characters definitely had amazing chemistry, and it wasn’t just physical chemistry! The story had such good depth and was a great read to immerse myself into!

This is the first book in this new series by Clare Connely and like her other series, this is a great start. Student and teacher relationships are forbidden. But that just adds to the steam here. He just wanted an easy summer job never expecting to meet her. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Have fun reading.

There is balance for everything. Yet when final year law student Olivia can't stop fantasizing about her professor the balance shifts. Connor took the summer term professor job to clear his mind and get perspective. He never imagined a slip of a girl would tempt him to break all his rules.

Another wonderful Dare series. This was a book of pure lust. Olivia is a student and Connor is her professor. While that might seem slightly taboo, everyone is of age. It's a lot of frisky fun!

Her Guilty Secret by Clare Connelly is the first book in the Guilty as Sin series. In this book Olivia and Connor are forbidden. This book is fire. It is hot intense and out of this world. I absolutely loved every single minute of Connor and Olivia's story. A student and substitute teacher are not the ideal relationship. This book makes it seem perfectly fine. It held me captive to the pages.

The characters were interesting to read about
Loved everything about it

I give it 5 stars because it was amazing

The Harlequin DARE line is definitely a sexier and edgier read and I loved the story of Connor and Olivia. Connor has made his mark in the legal world, but needs a breather after a particularly hard case so he agrees to teach law for a semester. Olivia is his student. School rules prohibit them from being together, but they take the chance anyway.

I enjoyed their struggle with being together, but yet having to keep it a secret. In different places in their lives, the challenges they faced were well written and the love scenes were on fire.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

Olivia Amorelli is a law student with a bright future ahead of her. She will have her pick of jobs when she graduates. A visiting professor, defense barrister Connor Hughes, could derail all of that. Connor took the position in London because he had reservations about a person he just had acquitted so he decided to escape for a little while. Both Olivia and Connor play a dangerous game. If it is discovered that they are having an affair, Olivia will be expelled and her career over. Both are at opposite sides when it comes to law. Connor defends the worst of the worst and Olivia wants to defend the helpless. Soon they can’t help themselves and begin an affair. Olivia knows that it can’t last long as Connor’s office is in Ireland. She vows to enjoy Connor as long as the semester lasts. Unfortunately, both find it difficult to end as the semester finishes, and they try to figure out if they can make it together.
I liked this story. As Connor gets more involved with Olivia, he realizes he can become something more that what he was. This was a quick read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

It really took me a while to get into this story, partly because I could not understand how Olivia could risk her whole career on a fling with her professor, and partly because the way the book was set up was hard to tell the POV, so it was confusing when it switched so abruptly.

It was not until probably 3/4 of the way into the book, that things got interesting and then I could not put the book down. At the point, I really got into the story and felt for Olivia when Connor took off.

Glad that they got their HEA and Connor finally realized what he needed to change in his life. Only thing that puzzled me in the book was that he choose to be a defense
lawyer after his parents are killed in a bombing. I would think, he would want to prosecute criminals not defend them with that in his background.

i don't know what it is about the professor–student trope in romance novels that really works for me? because for sure there are power dynamic issues galore. the one time i was hit on by my college professor was not hot and creeped me out so badly i stopped going to class regularly. but there is something about the fantasy that i enjoy. and her guilty secret has so much forbidden lust that it basically sparks off the page.

when connor hughes first spars with olivia amorelli during a lecture he knows that he's in trouble. she's something he can't stay away from. and as much as she wants to despise him, she also adores his brilliance. even as he stands for everything she hates. the chemistry between these two is incredible.

**her guilty secret will publish on february 1, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/harlequin (dare) in exchange for my honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Romance

This was a book of pure lust. Olivia is a student and Connor is her professor. While that might seem slightly taboo, everyone is of age.

Connor is wanting to get away from his career for a while. He is a high powered, highly sought after defense attorney who is known for getting his clients off on technicalities and for questioning the law to its very edges.

Olivia is an idealistic student who wants to make sure that guilty people go to prison and innocent people get a fair shot at a life outside of prison. She knows that she wants to work for the prosecution, despite the very competitive training program. Even though she is attracted to her professor, she wants to make her own career.

Connor and Olivia sneak away whenever they can to steal moments together, but when it comes to a real relationship, with real feelings, both are fledglings. Both will have to decide whether their careers or their relationship take priority.

I think my biggest complaint about this was that it was difficult to figure out who was talking. Connelly switched points of view without real warning and I found myself having to go back and figure out who was speaking. But this is a good, short read if you're wanting an afternoon of smut.

(This is a spotlight feature of a book that did not make the final cut for review in February but deserves to be mentioned. Includes an author photo and a cover photo.)

Her Guilty Secret (Guilty as Sin - Book 1) by Clare Connelly


Publication Date: 02/01/2019

Publisher: Harlequin

Imprint: Dare

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 161

ASIN: B07FVYG6FK


(Received for an honest review from Harlequin Dare via NetGalley)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository


Clare Connelly on the WEB: Website, Facebook, Goodreads


Books in the series:


1. Her Guilty Secret (2019)


Excerpt from Her Guilty Secret, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature


Synopsis:


Idealistic law student Olivia Amorelli is done being the good girl…and professor Connor Hughes is teaching her to be guilty as sin!

Hotshot defense attorney and visiting professor Connor Hughes is so hot it’s criminal! Tall, dark and dangerously gorgeous, with green eyes as vivid as a sunlit ocean and tattoos in all the right places. I might not agree with his practices, but the more we clash, the more I want him. How can I resist letting Connor corrupt every cell in my body?

I’ve always been the good girl, watching out for others. For once, I want to do something deliciously naughty—something just for me. Seducing the teacher is strictly forbidden, and I need a perfect record to graduate. But I just can’t stop fantasizing about ripping Connor’s clothes off.

When we finally give in to the temptation, the fire between us is hot enough to burn down his luxe London penthouse…and possibly my future career. I know I’m in too deep, but Connor’s teaching me to sin. And I’ve always been an excellent student!



About the Author:





Clare Connelly writes romance that will set your soul on fire. She is the best-selling author of more than fifty indie romance novels and in August 2017 published her debut novel for Harlequin Presents, and also writes for Harlequin Dare. She reads and writes romance voraciously, and lives in a small bungalow by the sea with her lovely husband, two small children and a hard-working team of MacBooks.
www.clareconnelly.com for more.

Likeable

Angst, steam and emotion make up this tale. You definitely cannot control who you fall in love with.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

"Her Guilty Secret" by Clare Connelly.

My first time reading that author.

Between 3.5 and 4 stars.
A love story about hot teacher and student. Well written, good characters, interesting story, good pace.
Not just about lust like some stories but not the best connection either.
We've all wished for a teacher like that at some point.
But the different POVs weren't always clear and it was a little bit confusing.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for letting me read this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Hotshot defense attorney and visiting professor Connor Hughes is so hot it’s criminal! Tall, dark and dangerously gorgeous, with green eyes as vivid as a sunlit ocean and tattoos in all the right places. I might not agree with his practices.When I started reading I couldn't put it downClare Connelly is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.