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Julia Hawke #1
Hawke's Prey
ASIN B017QKYT1M moved to the most recent edition
Julia Hawke is a writing professor, renowned for her skill at coaxing the best out of the young first year writers in her class. But at night, she coaxes female students into her bed, where they’ll get an education that isn’t on the syllabus. Julia is a serial seductress who enjoys the chase and once she’s had her fun, discards her prey. However, she never chooses a virgin to take to bed, for fear they’ll get too attached. Only the more experienced girls know how to play Julia’s game and that’s the way she needs it to be. No attachments, no love.
Enter Penny Stone, a small town girl who’s new to the big bad city, with a love of writing that puts her in Julia’s class. She thinks that once she has her education her life is all mapped out, with a future that holds going home to run the family shop and saving herself for marriage to her childhood sweetheart. But as she spends time in Julia’s class, she begins to feel something new and strange around her teacher, something that might derail the life set out for her.
Julia knows she should leave the girl alone and stick to her strict set of rules for her conquests, but a natural chemistry pulls the two inescapably towards one another. But can innocent Penny teach jaded Julia some lessons she thought she was long past learning?
Julia Hawke is a writing professor, renowned for her skill at coaxing the best out of the young first year writers in her class. But at night, she coaxes female students into her bed, where they’ll get an education that isn’t on the syllabus. Julia is a serial seductress who enjoys the chase and once she’s had her fun, discards her prey. However, she never chooses a virgin to take to bed, for fear they’ll get too attached. Only the more experienced girls know how to play Julia’s game and that’s the way she needs it to be. No attachments, no love.
Enter Penny Stone, a small town girl who’s new to the big bad city, with a love of writing that puts her in Julia’s class. She thinks that once she has her education her life is all mapped out, with a future that holds going home to run the family shop and saving herself for marriage to her childhood sweetheart. But as she spends time in Julia’s class, she begins to feel something new and strange around her teacher, something that might derail the life set out for her.
Julia knows she should leave the girl alone and stick to her strict set of rules for her conquests, but a natural chemistry pulls the two inescapably towards one another. But can innocent Penny teach jaded Julia some lessons she thought she was long past learning?
90 pages, ebook
First published November 7, 2015
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161 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 18, 2017
I've read two of Natasha West's books prior to this one and can safely say this is a large departure from her rom-com (The Plus One) and romance (Real Love).
Hawke's Prey is about a college professor who routinely and systematically identifies a freshman student in her class(es) each year to seduce. She puts certain rules around what type of girl she'll target to limit her chances of being reported but nevertheless, it's nothing short of wrong.
Julia Hawke gets thrown for a loop when instead of keeping to her M.O. falls for the virginal small-town girl she adamantly knows to avoid. When she follows through on her impulses, the proverbial sh*t hits the fan.
Like West's other books this is competently written but I don't think it's as good as her others I've read so far. Mainly, this is due to her characters. They felt more one-dimensional and we especially got a very simplistic version of Penny, the girl Julia falls for. I half suspect the author was going for this, so we can see how the characters change over the course of the series, but it also can make the mutual attraction appear superficial or harder to buy.
Another departure from West's other books is that Julia's character is really unlikable and far from redeeming as one of our leading ladies. This is intended by the author. West's style shifts when it comes to the sex scenes, too. Here, they're explicit while her other books use fade-to-black.
Hawke's Prey is not a fluffy romance but an exploration of the taboo, flirting with both a dark edginess that makes your stomach drop AND a wistful longing for something pure. It doesn't have the grittiness or seduction of a Keira Michelle Telford novel, who loves to play with the large age-gap student/authority figure dynamic, but it's not a bad attempt, either.
For those that have read this book and didn't care for it for the reasons I mentioned above, I am already half way through the second book in the series and the characters are given dimension there...I think it's a lot stronger so far.
I recommend the read depending on your sensibilities and your likelihood to follow through to the 2nd book.
Hawke's Prey is about a college professor who routinely and systematically identifies a freshman student in her class(es) each year to seduce. She puts certain rules around what type of girl she'll target to limit her chances of being reported but nevertheless, it's nothing short of wrong.
Julia Hawke gets thrown for a loop when instead of keeping to her M.O. falls for the virginal small-town girl she adamantly knows to avoid. When she follows through on her impulses, the proverbial sh*t hits the fan.
Like West's other books this is competently written but I don't think it's as good as her others I've read so far. Mainly, this is due to her characters. They felt more one-dimensional and we especially got a very simplistic version of Penny, the girl Julia falls for. I half suspect the author was going for this, so we can see how the characters change over the course of the series, but it also can make the mutual attraction appear superficial or harder to buy.
Another departure from West's other books is that Julia's character is really unlikable and far from redeeming as one of our leading ladies. This is intended by the author. West's style shifts when it comes to the sex scenes, too. Here, they're explicit while her other books use fade-to-black.
Hawke's Prey is not a fluffy romance but an exploration of the taboo, flirting with both a dark edginess that makes your stomach drop AND a wistful longing for something pure. It doesn't have the grittiness or seduction of a Keira Michelle Telford novel, who loves to play with the large age-gap student/authority figure dynamic, but it's not a bad attempt, either.
For those that have read this book and didn't care for it for the reasons I mentioned above, I am already half way through the second book in the series and the characters are given dimension there...I think it's a lot stronger so far.
I recommend the read depending on your sensibilities and your likelihood to follow through to the 2nd book.
January 18, 2020
I was so sure that i was gonna hate this one but what a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be! I liked Penny from the start, she was so cute. But what sucked me in was Julia. At first with her constant comments about her female students reminded me of Joe from YOU and made me uncomfortable. But then surprisingly she grew on me. A serial seducer made nervous by a very pretty but very inexperienced girl. I love this trope!! But it was a lot more than that, what a complex character she turned out to be..
Okay, off to read the second one.
Okay, off to read the second one.
February 27, 2018
I didn't find much to like about Julia, one of the main characters. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I would have stopped reading it before I finished chapter 2 if this was the first book by Natasha West that I read. But, I have enjoyed her other books. So I kept reading, and now I find that I am interested in seeing where she takes this story. I'm putting Julia Hawke #2 on my to-read list.
September 29, 2020
It was an okay read... but I don’t think imma continue with the other books in the series. the story just doesn’t captivate me enough
August 29, 2023
This is more plot based than I'd realized. I assumed wrongly this was going to be the same basic erotic-based story across the 3 novellas. It isn't. Things happen that cause MC Julia's life to change.
This more plot-based romantic erotica, which dwells more on the chemistry and build-up than it does the spice.
And, even tho contrary to my expectations, this is all the better for it. A promising start and onwards to book 2 😀
This more plot-based romantic erotica, which dwells more on the chemistry and build-up than it does the spice.
And, even tho contrary to my expectations, this is all the better for it. A promising start and onwards to book 2 😀
October 14, 2016
Julia Hawke is a predator. Every first year of university she has a "Selection Day", where she begins to examine her students/targets (at least they're 18) and then choose one of them to be her lover for the duration of the term. They're always the most experienced ones, though. Never virgins, too clingy for her.
Then there's Penny, who of course is a virgin. And who of course catches Julia's attention. And so the story begins.
It's very simple and predictable. Julia is conflicted because one of her "rules" is to never go after a virgin. Sweet and innocent Penny is beginning to discover herself. And they both realize they like each other and there's not much they can do to deny it.
But even after reading some of her background, I just couldn't sympathize with Julia and the way she treated her 'potential lovers', or rather her targets (and really ). Penny wasn't so bad, but she was just so naive and I did want to yell at her a few times.
That said, it wasn't all bad for me. It was entertaining, and the sex scenes were good. But I felt it was... I don't know if shallow would be the right word, but I think that's the closest one for me. And I know this is very short, so I can understand there wasn't enough time to develop the characters or their story, but disliking the protagonists (and the story alternates between both of their points of view, by the way) did affect my overall enjoyment.
Then there's Penny, who of course is a virgin. And who of course catches Julia's attention. And so the story begins.
It's very simple and predictable. Julia is conflicted because one of her "rules" is to never go after a virgin. Sweet and innocent Penny is beginning to discover herself. And they both realize they like each other and there's not much they can do to deny it.
But even after reading some of her background, I just couldn't sympathize with Julia and the way she treated her 'potential lovers', or rather her targets (and really ). Penny wasn't so bad, but she was just so naive and I did want to yell at her a few times.
That said, it wasn't all bad for me. It was entertaining, and the sex scenes were good. But I felt it was... I don't know if shallow would be the right word, but I think that's the closest one for me. And I know this is very short, so I can understand there wasn't enough time to develop the characters or their story, but disliking the protagonists (and the story alternates between both of their points of view, by the way) did affect my overall enjoyment.
April 14, 2020
It's been a long time since I read a story that has an MC who was deliberately made to be problematic. As a novella, the fast-paced development of the relationship between the MCs was understandable. I just wish more feelings were put into writing their attraction before they first slept together.
I found out about the series while viewing the details for The Julia Hawke Series: Hawke's Prey, Hawke's Game, Hawke's Flight, and if you look at the genres it was listed under, one says this is Adult Fiction > Erotica. I can't say that was accurate though, at least not for the first two books. But I'll reserve my judgment until I read the third.
The MC's relationship wasn't exactly moving, but it was good enough to make me read the second book. What I appreciate about this first one, however, was the appropriate ending. But of course, we know it's not the end of these women's story.
I found out about the series while viewing the details for The Julia Hawke Series: Hawke's Prey, Hawke's Game, Hawke's Flight, and if you look at the genres it was listed under, one says this is Adult Fiction > Erotica. I can't say that was accurate though, at least not for the first two books. But I'll reserve my judgment until I read the third.
The MC's relationship wasn't exactly moving, but it was good enough to make me read the second book. What I appreciate about this first one, however, was the appropriate ending. But of course, we know it's not the end of these women's story.
October 17, 2021
This was… fine. I blasted through it in like an hour or so but I can’t really say that I enjoyed it. The taboo nature of the professor like, purposefully going out to seduce her young students wasn’t the turn off for me (though it’s obvious she’s like, not a great person, I’m fine with reading about not great people) it just all felt really shallow and a lot more telling rather than showing. I get that it’s a novella, so things move quickly, but it all just felt really surface level. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great. Probably like 2.5 stars. It was okay.
October 31, 2017
.
I have a few issues with this book but at the same time it was what I was expecting from it so rating it lower didn't seem fair.
While Julia's predatory behaviour and her rules were ridiculous and sometimes uncomfortable at best, it was also what I knew the story was going to be like from the description. What I have a problem with is how much character development and how much plot the author tried to fit in such a short story. We don't get to really experience the changes in the main characters, we are just told they happened. Same goes for their falling in love. Entertaining enough but not that great.
I have a few issues with this book but at the same time it was what I was expecting from it so rating it lower didn't seem fair.
While Julia's predatory behaviour and her rules were ridiculous and sometimes uncomfortable at best, it was also what I knew the story was going to be like from the description. What I have a problem with is how much character development and how much plot the author tried to fit in such a short story. We don't get to really experience the changes in the main characters, we are just told they happened. Same goes for their falling in love. Entertaining enough but not that great.
October 18, 2017
Oh c'mon, seriously? Until the very last moment I've been waiting for these two to end together!! :_(
I want my happy ending, now!!
I feel so angry... but still a nice story, there. 🤷🏻♀ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
x'D
I want my happy ending, now!!
I feel so angry... but still a nice story, there. 🤷🏻♀ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
x'D
July 9, 2018
Some things that made me stop reading, roll my eyes, and highlight them in kindle:
“She laughed uproariously.”
“Irregardless.”
“She done all the work.”
“[...] she might start to wonder [...] if she hadn’t been taken advantage of her.”
It all screamed amateurish editing, or writing.
“She looked at me without guard and I could see it was the truth. She loved me now and she’d loved me always. It was real. We’d been in love. We were in love. I’d been doubting that and now I didn’t. [...]”
All right, their mutual love is established. Then remains the part where one party comes clean...
‘I slept with Lucy this afternoon.’
Long pause ensues as they both stare at the carpet. Ok. No initiative? No laborious, tentative attempt at explanation fueled by guilt, love, a desire to make things right, to safeguard said love?
‘Why?’ asks protagonist. That the silence prolonged to allow her to ask was annoying yet understandable.
‘Stupid reasons.’ “
Edit on pc later
“She laughed uproariously.”
“Irregardless.”
“She done all the work.”
“[...] she might start to wonder [...] if she hadn’t been taken advantage of her.”
It all screamed amateurish editing, or writing.
“She looked at me without guard and I could see it was the truth. She loved me now and she’d loved me always. It was real. We’d been in love. We were in love. I’d been doubting that and now I didn’t. [...]”
All right, their mutual love is established. Then remains the part where one party comes clean...
‘I slept with Lucy this afternoon.’
Long pause ensues as they both stare at the carpet. Ok. No initiative? No laborious, tentative attempt at explanation fueled by guilt, love, a desire to make things right, to safeguard said love?
‘Why?’ asks protagonist. That the silence prolonged to allow her to ask was annoying yet understandable.
‘Stupid reasons.’ “
Edit on pc later
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2018
Excellent!
This is a very well written first book in what promises to be an interesting series. Well developed characters and an engrossing storyline keep the reader engaged throughout. Put this book on your must read list.
This is a very well written first book in what promises to be an interesting series. Well developed characters and an engrossing storyline keep the reader engaged throughout. Put this book on your must read list.
November 23, 2018
😜RIVETING😜
I love reading captivating serial stories .
I just finished book #1 of this three book series. And wanted to post a few thoughts about book one. I liked it might have even grown love it if it would have been a bit longer. Can't wait for the next book .
I love reading captivating serial stories .
I just finished book #1 of this three book series. And wanted to post a few thoughts about book one. I liked it might have even grown love it if it would have been a bit longer. Can't wait for the next book .
January 29, 2020
This book spoke to me! Currently on a binge reading feast.
Also one of the rare times that I actually enjoy first person perspective and double at that as well.
It’s a bit similar to Bloomington but nonetheless an invigorating read
Also one of the rare times that I actually enjoy first person perspective and double at that as well.
It’s a bit similar to Bloomington but nonetheless an invigorating read
April 6, 2020
I had been looking for a lesbian fiction novel with an age gap and a student-teacher relationship and I can tell you that this book ticks all those boxes. A well written book with interesting characters.
January 22, 2018
This is a story of intelligent people making bad choices. Each for their own reasons. We don't know why yet in this introductory short to the series. Can't wait to read more.
March 31, 2018
Not romantic enough to be a romcom and not smutty enough to be porn
October 11, 2019
Reminds me of a movie ... 😭
September 2, 2021
Enjoyable read
I wasn't sure what to expect from a story about a bit of a predatory professor, but it turned out go be pretty good. I'll be reading the next one in the series.
I wasn't sure what to expect from a story about a bit of a predatory professor, but it turned out go be pretty good. I'll be reading the next one in the series.
August 14, 2022
Beautiful series. When everything is set to turn wrong, goes right.
October 28, 2018
This story reads like a novel. Julia Hawkes’ actions have gone unchecked far too long. In comes Penny Stone, a small town freshman, who causes Julia to seriously question her methods and her life in general.
September 4, 2021
3,00 ⭐ fechado. Foi legalzinho de ler. Mas faltou emoção nas cenas e nas descrições dos sentimentos das personagens, mas é um livro de 100 páginas então era de se esperar q fosse resumido .
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews