The Professor's Possession

Crystal River Billionaire Brothers #1

by Rebecca Castle

The college student secretly dating her dark and mysterious university professor.SPENCERSome call me intelligent.Others call me possessive.I’ve come back to my hometown Crystal River to escape my past - to take up a teaching position at the local university.I’ve promised myself I wouldn’t pursue another woman. Not here. Not now.Any partner of mine will only be hurt by what I am and what I’ve done.Yet there is this student in my class who has caught my eye.Olivia Weldon.A woman I have been dreaming about.A woman I am not allowed to have.A woman I want.And I am a man who always gets what he wants...OLIVIACrystal River University is meant to be a brand new start for me.This small town college is absolutely perfect for an introverted, academic geek who loves to read.I’m here to simply put my head down and study my socks off like a good little bookworm.No fun. No parties. And, especially, no boys.I mean, no boy has ever even been interested in socially awkward me. I am still a virgin, and so inexperienced when it comes to love and lust and romance.But then I meet my English Literature professor.He’s brooding, enigmatic, charming, and deeply, deeply clever.Professor Spencer Penmayne.He hails from a famous billionaire family, but no one knows a single thing about him.His past is a complete secret.One thing’s for sure, though - every girl on campus worships him.Every girl wants to be with the intense, handsome teacher with the deep baritone voice and the overwhelming intellect.He could have any woman he wants in this town. He shouldn’t even know I exist.But, for reasons I can’t figure out, he is pursuing me...The Professor’s Possession is a steamy standalone in the Crystal River Billionaire Brothers Series. Recommended for mature audiences.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, College, Contemporary Romance

356 pages, ebook

Published January 12, 2024

About the author

Rebecca has had the storytelling bug since... forever!

What Rebecca likes most is writing steamy hot filthy romances with sweet happy endings sprinkled with some delicious bad boys.

Born and raised in an Aussie coastal town, she loves travelling around the world - meeting new people and discovering their stories.
Aside from adventuring she also enjoys a good rainy day in with a good book or at a hot beach catching the sun.
She’s a world-class napping professional. You’ll most likely find her asleep snuggled up on a sofa somewhere cozy.

Instagram: instagram.com/rebeccacastle.author

Facebook: facebook.com/rebeccacastleauthor

Email her at: rebeccacastle.author@outlook.com

Reviews

[Alexandraa XX · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first the story was great. Super great and super romantic. The characters like the main ones hero and heroine both were very interesting. The hero being the mystery man with dark clouds around him if i can say it like that, and even his POV started with dreaming and wanting a beautiful woman that he very much wants SOOO BAD. The words were so romantic… The heroine is this virgin girl who never dated anyone before, never ever go to parties and was a total nerd but not too much tho lol. She loves reading book and was very introverted person. BUT SHE IS SASSY AND SHE IS NOT AFRAID TO SHOW IT SO IT’S AMAZING TO SEE THAT 😍😍😍😍 Perfff character personality 😙 But then the hero became like idk, very different than before…


THE STORY STARTS WITH THE HERO WAS ADMIRING SOMEONE SO ROMANTICALLY IN HIS DREAMS…. So detailed too. And he was pouring his heart about this woman he saw in his dreams and his been having this dream about a woman he wants so much (he never seen before) for like a week. And then he met one of his student when he was walking by near the campus, he saw the woman he was dreaming about…


“The beautiful girl in my dreams... the same girl from last night on the street... the girl that made my whole body stop when I looked down at her in the pouring rain and noticed those eyes in the darkness... the same gorgeous, soft eyes from my dreams that make me wake in a cold sweat every night... they are the same eyes staring back at me in class today. It can’t be her. I didn’t get a full picture of her last night on the street - it was far too wet and windy and dark to even make her out properly - but I cannot forget those coffee-brown eyes: the very same ones I just saw in my own lecture hall mere moments ago. So, my suspicions were true. I am a usually composed man – to the point of fame to everyone who knows me - but this girl has rattled me to my very core. Dreams aren’t real. They can’t be. Ghosts in dreams don’t walk among the living earth. That’s what I’m telling myself. What I keep telling myself futilely. Dreams belong in books. Not here. Not in my lecture hall.”


But to be honest with you like I always am on my reviews here, I just don’t feel the great romance chemistry here in this story 😂😂😂 The cover and the title tho, WOW AMAZING. But the actual story itself and the characters? Both are bad. At first it was getting good like really romantic, but then it just shows how the characters are getting a bit strange in a bad way though… Like at first the hero’s pov says he was the one obsessed with the heroine, he was even pursuing her first then he suddenly doesn’t want to because his too scared? And then the heroine after meeting the hero for three times in a formal way, she starting to have interest and even stalked the hero! Like going to his house and see where he lives wtf. But i like it when the hero is the one who made the first moves tho…

But then when they started to get closer, the hero first made and told the heroine have to sign a NDA so the relationship can go further. Not NDA for BDSM but for they’re relationship can be private and no one else should know. And not because the hero is the professor and the heroine is the student, but it’s because the hero’s family issues 😓

Then the heroine somehow becomes so clingy to the hero, she’s even more clingy and doormat than the hero😭😭 It’s her first relationship though but seriously wtf. It’s so cringe to read how naïve she is 😆😆

In the end it’s where i found the reason why the whole story is not romantic and the characters are so bad in the most wrong way possible. SPOILER:
When the heroine found out about the hero’s secret that he used to be married to someone, she cried first then runs away and even goes to Boston immediately to look for more evidence about the hero. She found out obviously. Then she look for the hero and found him with his little daughter in the park. She comforted him IN FRONT OF HIS DAUGHTER about the lies and secret. Then the hero’s ex wife came and was arguing with the hero then slap the heroine. The hero stopped the ex but in the end he ends up defending her by saying: “She’s staying here tonight, though. Quinn needs help, not a jail cell. She needs rehab for her alcoholism. No matter what she’s done, she is still the mother of my daughter, and I want her treated to the highest of standards.”. Like the woman just slapped the heroine and you defend her like that? I know the woman is the mother but like why are you not defending the heroine like that too? AND WHAT’S EVEN WORST IS THAT WHEN THE HEROINE GOT SLAPPED, THE HERO ONLY ASKED ARE YOU OKAY???! 😂😂😂 NOT EVEN TOUCHING HER OR CARRY HER OR SOMETHING. JUST ASK THAT. WTF!!! The dumb hero told her to sign NDA BUT THEN HE WAS THE ONE WHO KEPT A BIG SECRET. What a joke 🙄🙄🙄 in the end he admitted he was wrong to told the heroine to sign a NDA but still… And after that situation with the woman, he finally have the freakin courage to ask the heroine hey can you be my girlfriend. But at first he was saying the heroine is the woman of his dream, claims to be obsessed but then made her sign that and in the end you ask her that? NOT BEFORE??!!! 😂😂😂 What is this? A childish love story??!

There’s no epilogue of them married so that’s annoying. Maybe we can read that on the next book.

The hero is over the top possessive protective alpha male professor billionaire but not a interesting character 😓

Overall the story itself was not romantic at all. THE S3X SCENES?? THE BEST. The heroine is a virgin. But the whole character and chemistry itself? For me unfortunately with all due respect, not romantic…

Safe all the way tho but not romantic 😭😭😭

[Jess Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Books like this must be for someone, because there are dozens of them. That someone is not me. I can't relate to the authority-figure fetish at all. I've found no teacher, boss, or friend of my dad's attractive in the slightest. My favorite rhetoric prof was considered a PILF, but she was a woman, and my guy friends called her that. And I'd like to think that even if I did know such a man, my brain would be more powerful than my loins and prevent me from entering into an extremely ill-advised affair with him.

Luckily for the hero and heroine of Rebecca Castle's The Professor's Possession, their affair isn't actually that ill-advised. Why? Because they live in a world with no consequences. Remember Laurelin Paige's Dirty Filthy Rich Boys, which was very literal about the potential consequences of student-prof affairs and just decided they didn't matter as much as a single orgasm? Well, bear that in mind when I tell you what the climax of this thing is.

We open with an epigraph: Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. —Wuthering Heights



Not that it's off the mark. Hardin and Tessa's souls were made of insecurity soaked in scotch. These two have souls made of cotton balls soaked in margarine.

Our hero, Professor Spencer Penmayne, is plagued with dreams about his "perfect woman." Her hair and eyes are brown. Her skin is white. She wears a gray hoodie, blue jeans, and black sneakers. She's 18 to 22 years of age. In short, there are at least 500 of her on any college campus at any given moment. But this one is special and HE MUST HAVE HER. Yeah, tell that to the disciplinary committee. Except... never mind. We'll get there.

Our heroine, Olivia, matches that description exactly, down to the sneakers. And if that description didn't make her sound bland enough, she's a virgin, she's majoring in English lit for the sole reason that she likes to read, and her name is Olivia. She arrives at Crystal River University and meets her outgoing blond roommate, Ava. Ava has a douchebag boyfriend, Luke, who immediately mocks Olivia for being a nerd and not knowing who he is, as everyone who hails from Crystal River—which Olivia doesn't—does.

You traveled about a block to go to college, lunkhead. Who's the loser here?

Ava's first attempt to convince Olivia to join them at a party fails, but don't worry, there'll be others. Instead Olivia goes for a run in the rain and promptly gets lost. She splats right into Spencer, who has ink-black hair and "azure" eyes, clears six feet, and is wearing a suit.



Were they going to meet any other way? If this story were any more just so, it would be raining coffee.

Spencer is Olivia's English lit prof, like you didn't know. Here's how he kicks off the semester:

"The best works of art are about the two sides of the soul. And what are these two sides of the soul? The good and the bad. The light and the dark. It's the dichotomy at the heart of life. The best writing moves you by connecting these two disparate sides. Words are merely gateways into thought. The greatest works of literature aren't so renowned and studied because of their use of fancy words and elongated sentences, but of the way they can easily penetrate you and reveal those two sides of lightness and darkness within you."



Just hand out the syllabus so everyone can leave, you pretentious jackoff. I can only imagine what he has to say about Genesis.

Olivia tries to remind herself that she came to focus on her studies, not boys. But Spencer is such a MAN. His "deep smoothing voice" and "intriguing sonority of the mind" are simply too compelling for her not to find him attractive. Even so, "No man, especially a handsome, clearly very intelligent, educated man ten years older in his early thirties, would ever even consider me for a heartbeat." Yes, he would, Olivia. His dreams told him to do it.

All of Spencer's early chapters are basically the same, so I'll just clear them out of the way now: HE MUST HAVE HER. And he can just tell what her name is by looking at the class roster, not even a seating chart: "She sounds like an Olivia Weldon." I think that's supposed to be a compliment of some kind. For me, Olivia Weldon has sounded thus far like an old faucet dripping into a calcified motel-room sink.

Olivia goes to a coffee shop to read, what else, Wuthering Heights. Did you know Heathcliff and Catherine have a passionate romance among the misty moors despite treating each other and everyone else like crap? They do! Spencer walks in and they both lament that most people hear "Wuthering Heights" and think of the Kate Bush song. They think of the book first. Both of them. It must be fate.



One minor entry from another Spencer chapter that I should note:

I smirk to myself before I step into the driver's seat of my parked luxury European car. This vehicle is undeniably unaffordable on a professor's salary, but I never entered academia for the money, especially not when my family has enough money to buy multiple universities outright. That is one good thing about coming from a long lineage of billionaires: You can choose whatever career you fancy and still get to drive a nice car.

Well, isn't that nice? If Olivia had fallen for one of those average professors, she'd have to ride in the passenger seat of his beat-up Honda en route to his favorite brunch spot 40 miles out of town. But Spencer's car is so luxurious that it doesn't even get a brand name. You wouldn't recognize it, anyway. Only billionaires have heard of it.

Olivia agrees to accompany Ava to the next party. Luke introduces Olivia to his friend Michael. He's rapey. She leaves immediately. At least. She decides to spend the night in the gym, which is empty except for one person, who is...



He invites her out for a drink. She turns him down because he's her professor, which should be reason enough. Not for him: "...being a professor doesn't stop me from wanting to get to know a student of mine in out-of-lecture hours."

When my husband was a TA, he wouldn't even go for coffee in broad daylight with a student until they stopped being his student. He knew that even the appearance of impropriety could get him into some serious shit. This moron is suggesting that they go to a "bar nearby" at night.

Before he entered the classroom, all Olivia knew about Spencer is his name and his degree from Harvard. Ava, who she grew up in the area, knows everything else: the street where he lives, the overwhelming intelligence that "accelerated" him through uni, the media empire his father owns, his six (originally seven) equally hot brothers, one brother's alleged criminal activities. Maybe she doesn't know exactly where they buried the last mayor who crossed them, but I'm sure she could make an educated guess.

Olivia can't resist going for a run on "Byron Street." (He used to live on Heathcliff Court, but they never did get around to fixing that broken water main.) She also can't resist jumping the gate and peeking into the window. He's spending the evening having tense phone conversations, drinking scotch, looking at the spines of his book collection (you've heard of every author he lists), and wondering how she, a nobody, could have dared reject him TO HIS VERY FACE! Who cares? We all know she would have wrapped her legs around him and bounced if she just weren't so painfully shy.



Spencer gives Olivia a bad mark and a "See me after class today" on an assignment. This irks her so much that she interrupts his lecture on women as literary devices to ask what he thinks of women. It's this:

"I personally think women are to be pursued. And I agree with many of those male authors in that I believe women are complex creatures; full of an inner life that is begging to be explored. But, where I differ from the great male minds of literature, is that I believe women are not mysterious. When you are privileged enough to know a woman well enough, she will willingly bare all her mysteries to you. These male authors I talk of used their written words to study a female mind without even trying the easiest method of all: loving a woman."

And then he transformed into a giant fedora with feet. At last, he had achieved the last stage of his evolution.

After the lecture, he has the decency to acknowledge that asking her for a drink was "unprofessional." Seconds later, he invites her for a private tutoring session at his house. Where he gawks at her dress, which has a "rounded neckline with a skirt." (A dress? With a skirt? NO.) And he gives her wine, despite knowing she's under 21. And he talks about how she missed the mark on the role of dreams in Gothic literature, which help the reader in "exploring the character's unspoken passions, anxieties, and yearnings" and find out "who they are truly after."



Rebecca, I really hope you don't think you have anything in common with the great Gothic authors. We knew who this asshat was truly after by the time the first chapter kicked off. And in his dreams, she just stood there.

But sex doesn't happen that night. Why?

Olivia is a treasure that demands a gentle touch. The purity of her soul is something exceptional, and that's what draws me to her. The acquisition of someone like her is a prize that requires meticulous timing. She is not like other girls I've dealt with.



Oh, get out of your own colon and be honest for once. She's ignorant, pliable, and easy on the eyes. You're horny and unconcerned with the honor code. That's all this is. That is it.

Spencer attends a family meeting. The evil brother, Damon, reminds him of "past issues" that until now prevented him from getting involved with other women. You mean those six other students who sued him for harassment? No, no, we'll get there. Prepare not to be impressed.

They have two more chance encounters that don't really go anywhere. One is a rave. He came looking for her, probably knowing her roommate would convince her to go just because it was something different. He has that much genre savvy, anyway.

Their next private study session at his house involves a dinner of pasta al limone. "What's that?" she asks. "It's a cheeseburger with donuts instead of a bun, you imbecile," he does not say. (Hmm, Bon Appétit has a good pasta al limone recipe. I'll try it as a side the next time I make fish for dinner.) THEN they get down to the kissing, the "I can't do this," the "Goodbye, professor," the "I want you more than words can express," the NDA—NDAs are the new foreplay, doncha know?—and the insta-gasm. I wonder how many book romances would continue if they didn't start with insta-gasms.

Olivia is bummed because Spencer won't pay her any attention on campus. Put a pin in that. But he does send flowers and a limited-edition copy of Wuthering Heights to her dorm room.



They fuck in the gym at night. Luckily they're the only two people on campus who ever go to the gym at night. This school's athletic program must consist of a single ping-pong table and various Frisbees. They keep calling each other "Professor" and "Miss Weldon" during sex. I'm reminded why I've never asked my husband to call me "Mrs. Morgan" during sex.

Then they fuck in his office. He tells her to keep it down because he doesn't "want the whole university finding out." Oh, no, we couldn't have that. Maybe, just to be safe, he'll chloroform her into silence while he rails her beneath the bust of Thaddeus Q. Whiteguy in the center of the quad.

Too bad he didn't think of doing that before he left his house while she was still eating breakfast. Because as soon as he leaves, she starts snooping around and learns that he's really...



Yes, I used the same GIF twice in one review. Fuck you, it works. No, the truth is that the mysterious professor who thought it would be a good idea to have an affair with a freshman is MARRIED! Honestly, it was pretty clever of him to buy a whole other house for his unethical sexcapades. She might have caught on if he lived in a studio apartment full of messy book piles like everyone else.

Olivia tells her dad. All of it. Even the NDA. Does he head down to campus to blow Spencer's head off? No, he praises her for "finding [her] boundaries" and encourages her to "Go get him, girl." I don't often wish for overprotective dads to settle their 18+ daughters' romantic difficulties, but in this case I'd prefer it.

Then she visits a public park and learns the one thing the entire town didn't know about him: Not only is he married, he has a CHILD!



She's an adorable five-year-old girl in a light blue dress. Her name is Daisy. She's laughing and hugging her daddy. Just once, let this scene happen when she's dropping spoonfuls of yogurt all over her dress and insisting she wanted to watch that Cocomelon video of "Wheels on the Bus," not that Cocomelon video of "Wheels on the Bus."

Why, yes, I do have a toddler. Why do you ask?

But then Daisy's mom shows up, and we finally learn about the "past events" that led Spencer to deny himself love until he met the pure and perfect Olivia. Ready? Here goes: Spencer was married, but now he's not because his ex-wife is kind of nuts.

...That's it. That was the deep, dark secret: another version of a lie that every professor who ever banged a student told her first. And against the widespread expectation that he'd make himself a superstar far away from Crystal River, he moved back there to be close to Daisy.



But the ex gets hauled off for slapping Olivia, which means Spencer may finally convince the courts to give him sole custody of Daisy, despite their years of siding with the alcoholic gold-digger over the billionaire professor. RIGHT. And Daisy wants to live with him anyway, and she already likes Olivia. So they agree to keep having a secret relationship until Olivia graduates.

Which instantly blows up in their faces when Ava, for no apparent reason, walks into the gym locker room while they're fucking in it.

Except it DOESN'T blow up in their faces, because Ava just gives them their blessing and never tells anyone else. And they successfully keep it a secret for the next three years, even as their fluids adulterate every surface of the campus and ecstatic shouts of "PROFESSOR" and "MISS WELDON" echo through its hallowed halls.



And they lived happily ever after. Or at least until Spencer started having recurring dreams about a blue-eyed blonde wearing yoga pants and UGGs.

[A · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate to say this, but I really wasn't a fan of this book. It had potential, but the way it was written feels like this was the authors first book... if it was, then I encourage the author to keep trying. You'll get better as you write more. The overall plot wasn't bad. It was the cringe and the repetition that had me wishing the book was shorter so I could finish sooner. I couldn't stand every time he called her girl. It didn't flow with the writing and just made me cringe each time I saw the word. His dominance felt forced, and it just wasn't written well. As far as the FMC goes, she at times tried to be tough or act like a strong woman, but she just wasn't. She was a very flimsy character and just made overall bad decisions.

Also I just want to point out something. A gym is a very nasty place. There's a ton of bacteria and sweat and fluids that have been all over and let's face it, employees don't really do a good job and really cleaning things. For them to get it on on a machine and have their personal areas touching that is disgusting. It's not hot. The same can be said for the shower room in a gym. There's a reason people are recommended and told to wear shower shoes. Getting on your knees in a public shower area with all the nasty gym dirt is not as sexy as I think the author thought it would be. Just felt like I should point that out

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia Weldon is a charmingly timid introvert embarking on her freshman year of college. Hailing from a small town, she carries with her the baggage of a socially awkward bookworm who never dipped her toes into the world of dating or parties. Olivia was the quintessential good girl, dedicated to her studies and poised for a promising future.

Enter Spencer Penmayne, who reemerges at Crystal River University as a professor shrouded in enigmatic circumstances. A strikingly handsome billionaire, Spencer's allure is matched only by the mystery surrounding his past. With the world at his feet and the ability to have any woman he desires, what could possibly explain his irresistible attraction to one of his students? She is undeniably off-limits, yet Olivia has a hold on him that defies all reason.

The chemistry between Olivia and Spencer is an absolute delight. He becomes the catalyst for her transformation, coaxing her out of her shell and nurturing her newfound confidence. While Spencer's secret past throws an unexpected and somewhat peculiar twist into the mix, it ultimately adds to the intrigue of the story and intensifies the reader's investment in the couple's journey toward a happily-ever-after.

The passionate moments shared by Olivia and Spencer are scorching, striking the perfect balance between sensuality and spice. Their connection sizzles with an irresistible heat that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages.

Tropes: Contemporary romance, college, age gap, student/professor, forbidden love, virgin heroine, happily-ever-after
Heat: 4/5.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A steamy, forbidden age-gap romance 4*
I was a little benevolent with my rating because throughout the book I felt that during many scenes and dialogues, the characters of both protagonists left a lot to be desired. Spencer, one of the university’s genius literature professors, falls in love with the girl of his dreams, Olivia, who first comes to him in a dream. She is a student of literature, who succumbs to his intellect, his genius, his looks, and his passion. She is a naïve girl who thinks nothing of the dangers of going to the campus gym at night by herself. Even though it is forbidden by the university’s code of ethics to have romantic liaisons between students and professors, they start a steamy hot and passionate affair. It is Olivia’s first introduction to the realm of romance. Spencer’s character is shrouded in mystery, somewhat unnecessarily, in my opinion. Olivia can’t stand the unknown aspect of his past and begins to investigate and following the leads she finds. The facts about Spencer are not nearly as intriguing and mysterious. He has a little girl from his divorced alcoholic wife. Accosting Spencer in front of his daughter had shown Olivia to be an immature character. The author didn’t handle that particular scene very well because none of the characters involved had shown any maturity within the highly improbable scene description. The book is easy to read and flows well, despite some of the criticism I mentioned above. The novel ends on a happy for now, nevertheless indicative of a future happy ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in the Crystal River Billionaire Brothers featuring the steamy age-gap, forbidden, professor/student romance between Spencer and Olivia. Olivia is a delightfully shy wallflower who is commencing her freshman year of college. Since Olivia comes from a small-town she's got the attitude to reflect the fact that she's a socially inept bookworm. She never dated or went to parties Olivia always had her face in a book studying she's a good girl with a bright future ahead. Enter the mysterious gorgeous billionaire professor Spencer Penmayne who is Olivia's new professor. With how alluring Spencer is he can get any woman that he wants so what is it about Olivia? Their chemistry is incredible and there are some interesting twists in their story that you need to discover for yourself as some of the story keeps you guessing. I don't want to say anymore and ruin it for anyone else with spoilers. You really need to read this steamy age-gap, forbidden, professor/student romance to see what happens.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Curvy Girl Book Nerd (Jen S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Professor's Possession is book one in the Crystal Billionaire Brothers series. It's a steamy, instalove, OTT, age-gap, forbidden, opposites-attract, girl gets her professor romance. Olivia is a shy, young, nerdy college student majoring in English. She's new to college and is pretty much a wallflower and bookworm. Spencer is her hunky, enigmatic billionaire professor. And he wants her. The chemistry between these two was hot and intense at times. There were definitely a few twists I didn't see coming. We do get a great HEA also. Although the book is on the longer side, it did read fast. This was my first book by this author but not the last. I'm looking forward to the series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mindy Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Book 1 in the Crystal River Billionaire Brothers Series and my first read by this author, and I must say that I quite enjoyed the storyline and the characters. It is an age gap, off limits romance between Olivia and her professor Spencer. These likeable characters and the unique plot make for an enjoyable read. Their sizzling chemistry and strong connection are undeniable as they navigate the bumpy road to their forever after. It is a love story with enough drama, steam, sweetness, frustrating moments, twists and turns, and engaging secondary characters to keep the reader interested. Entertaining.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[neus.dreamybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series about a band of billionaire and handsome brothers.
Here we find Spencer, an english lit professor who has returned to his hometown's university, and who is dreaming each night about a girl. The surprise is that his dream girl is on of his new students.
The chemistry is instant to both of them, so Olivia who is a bookish nerd crushes about him instantly.
Here we find a forbidden love between a professor and his student, and how they try to reveal themselves in this secret relationship.
Firstly it was a bit rushed how a virgin like Olivia trusts Spencer with her body so soon, but in the end it makes sense.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alejandra De La Torre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok so, this book started slightly boring, but then it got interesting. I liked the tension between the Spencer and Olivia, it was awesome, but then he asked her to sign a paper that she is not allowed to talk about the relationship and everything was casual, from there I was getting disappointed, I thought it would involve DOM/ SUB interaction or whatever and I really don’t like that. I continued reading and when they finally got together…. The dialogues in the spice scenes were cringy AF! At least for me!! Aaaa that made me don’t want to read the book anymore but i force my self to finish it. I skipped many pages but it didn’t matter because the story it didn’t develop well. Overall, I thought it would be a great reading but nah.

[Jacqueline Novy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ 3🌶

If you’re looking for a taboo romance that’s cheesy, this definitely satisfies the need. Although not as spicy as I thought it would be, there was quite a bit of 🌶 scenes in it, so that’s why there’s 🌶🌶🌶.

I did laugh at the cliche-ness of this book several times, in a good way 😅 I feel like I could predict some but not everything that happened in this book, and there was still some plot that was surprising, which is why it’s a 3.5 star rating for me. I thought the 🌶 scenes would be a little more in depth, and same with the plot, but that’s okay. Sometimes you just need a little cheesy spicy romance to brighten your day 🥰

[ljamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Castle is a new author for me. This is the first book in the Crystal River Billionaire Brothers. Olivia is this nerdy, good girl who has just arrived at college. She’s bright and studious and has stayed away from boys. Spencer is mysterious, rich and he could have any woman he wanted. But the attraction between these two was strong and it sizzled. The moments between them were certainly steamy and spicy. I love a book that can surprise me. That makes me appreciate it all the more. It wasn't just a teacher student romance but it had layers. I will definitely read the other 2 books in this series.

[Lisa Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia is hoping for a new start at Crystal River University, she is an introvert and is there to study and keep her head down. She is not interest in any fun, parties and especially boys. She had not counted on her Professor, Spencer Penmayne to catch her attention.

Spencer came to Crystal River to take up a teacher position to escape his past. He does not plan on getting involved with any woman, especially a student. Olivia takes him by surprise, he had a dream of her.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I have read by Rebecca and also the very first book in her Crystal River Billionaire Brothers series. I seriously couldn't get enough of this book. The story was so intriguing and romantic that I felt like I was peeling an orange to explore the wonderful dynamics of everything. The characters themselves was so likeable and interesting. Olivia and Spencer's love was dynamic and addicting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anij · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dreams offer a window into a character's soul."

Very cat and mouse, this is a steamy professor-student romance with some interesting twists. Spencer and Olivia have great chemistry and are both good characters. I thought she could have been a little stronger and sometimes the book seemed a bit repetitive. The only real weakness was the big reveal, which was actually not as big or monumental as I expected. A little disappointing although I still enjoyed the book.

[Anna M. Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia/Spencer. Younger woman/Older man. College Student/Literature Professor. Middle class/Billionaire. NDA. Nerdy. Attractive, friendly roommate. Attraction. Taboo. Affection. Virgin. Adults. Consensual. Acceptance. Wonderful characters and endearing story. Love. HEA. Entertaining.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Áine Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in one setting. Spencer is seriously sexy, and I look forward to meeting his brothers in future books. I loved this book so much that I immediately pre-ordered the next book in the series. I will be checking out previous books by this author too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[｡⁠.ﾟ✯Naya ✯｡⁠.ﾟ · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, so, so boring, all the MMC did was whine about his past and talk about how much he wants to fuck her while the FMC will be reasonable and reject him buttt then he will look at her and she will change her mind.
he got her to sign 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙣-𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 just to fuck her bc the contract states that whatever they're doing is only fucking might as well pay her by the hour.

[Tanaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

good idea bad execution

I was so onboard with the story and the characters but it all fell flat with the execution. I liked the idea of these characters but they felt like strangers throughout the book I don’t feel like I know enough about them individually Or together as a couple

[Cindy Kleback · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden student-professor romance that is captivating and spicy. Olivia is the girl of Spencer’s dreams - literally - and she can’t stop thinking of him after running into him on her first day at college. What follows is a sexy pursuit with lots of secrets and, ultimately, heart.

[Krisztina B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐️

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Spencer and Olivia’s story. It was an engaging read. And am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Isabella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Explicit. This was not my thing, the whole premise just rubbed me the wrong way. There was nothing wrong with the writing though, so I'm sure others will enjoy it.

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 60%

[Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

The story has potential. I've never tried to write a book, I'm no expert, but the writing could be better. Once you start reading, you'll see what I mean.

[CN · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very little chemistry, no real build up.

[Kirsten Van Hooland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay um in short: the whole book was cringe, the repetition gave me the ick, the prof's dominance was not natural-it felt forced and weird, the scenes in the gym - sorry but that's just nasty, imagining sweat of dozens of people while .... ewwwwww. The overarching plot was okay. Saw it really soon who the characters/couple would be in the next book.

[Brandy Alexander · Rating 2 out of 5]

shallow

This one didn’t so it for me. While the story line had potential, the character language was very immature. I don’t plan on reading any more of this series.

[Aspen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the main characters and the storyline. I was disappointed in the spicy scenes in the book because I just felt they could have been dirtier.

[Shim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf