Title: Learning from Isaac by Dev Bentham
Tarnished Souls Book One
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
Genre: M/M, Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: Novella
Book Rating: B+
Review Copy Obtained from Author
Summary:
Nathan Kohn has been teaching Aquatic Science at St. Genevieve College for 15 years. It’s not a perfect situation, but he’s resigned to being a gay man in a straight culture, a Jew among Catholics and single in a world of couples. Until the stunningly attractive Isaac Wolf appears in his classroom. Isaac is a few years older than his fellow students, brilliant, self-composed and Jewish. Wouldn’t Nathan’s mother be pleased? Except, of course, relationships between faculty and students are forbidden, especially those not sanctioned by the Church.
Isaac has his own secrets, which Nathan finds out when he visits the racy new club downtown where boys can be bought in the back room. Behind the beaded curtain, the man on his knees turns out to be Isaac. What happens in the club stays there, right? Except Nathan’s mind isn’t the only thing Isaac blows, and Nathan can’t stop thinking about that night. But what kind of future can there be for a college professor and a rent boy?
Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: male/male sexual practices.
The Review:
Learning from Isaac is another incredibly touching yet sexy romance by newcomer Dev Bentham. Nathan Kohn’s quiet and unassuming life as a college professor is complicated by his attraction to his student Isaac Wolf.
Learning from Isaac has a fresh storyline with charming and three dimensional characters. Told in first person from Nathan’s point of view, readers are privy to his thought process and sometimes conflicted emotions. Nathan has a good relationship with his mother and a close friendship with his childhood friend Kenny.
Isaac is an immensely appealing but delightfully flawed protagonist. His past is complex and provides many layers to the story. Isaac’s career as a rent boy plays a crucial role in the development of his relationship with Nathan and adds a great deal of depth to his character.
Learning from Isaac is a beautifully written story that is heartwarming and compelling. The plot is unique and the story flows well. Isaac and Nathan’s relationship builds at a leisurely pace and the issues facing them are realistically portrayed. Their sex scenes are exquisitely detailed and highly sensual.
Dev Bentham is an extraordinarily gifted storyteller and I highly recommend Learning from Isaac to anyone who enjoys contemporary male/male romances.
