Book Review: The Education of Sebastian by Jane Harvey-Berrick

The Eduction of Sebastian
The Education of... #1
Author: Jane Harvey-Berrick
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released November 12th 2012
Review Source: More & More Creations Agency
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) A friendship between the lost and lonely Caroline, and the unhappy Sebastian, leads to an illicit love that threatens them both.Caroline Wilson is trapped in a cold and loveless marriage with an older man. When her husband finally wins a long sought-after promotion, Caroline feels she has little choice but to follow him to a new home in San Diego. There she meets Sebastian, a young man of 17.
For an all too brief summer, their happiness blooms.
But external pressures begin to bear down, not least from the overbearing David, and Sebastian’s parents begin to suspect that their son has a secret. Even Caroline’s new friend, Donna, realises that dark passions exist below the serene surface.

I have to say this is my first time reading such a steamy book. I was turned off to adult reads simply because I thought all adult books were like the ones my mother read while I was growing up. Not the case and I am now hooked to this genre!! Yes, I did blush a few times and others I must have looked like a mad woman with my eyes bulging out and my jaw hitting the floor. This book was HOT!!

We first meet Caroline. She grew up being loathed by her mother but she was very close to her father. The way I took it was Caroline was never good enough for her mother then she started to become a woman and she was prettier than her mother so that made her mother jealous. Her father was from Italian descent so Caroline was taught the language of course and to appreciate her Italian roots, which her mother thought was ridiculous. When Caroline was 17 she met her husband David. He is an older man and an officer in the Navy. David swept Caroline off her feet being a way to leave her mother’s house. They moved to San Diego after being married. David, come to find out was a man that needed things his way and only his way. I found myself to feeling sorry for Caroline. She was expected to dress a certain way, act a certain way and being she was so young she didn’t fit in with the other officer wives. They had kids and enjoyed staying home and taking care of their families. Caroline didn’t have kids and was interested in different things because she was a bit younger than the other wives.

We meet Sebastian the first time when he was eight years old. Caroline was forced to be friends with Estelle who is Sebastian’s mother. Caroline felt sorry for poor Sebastian because his parents were nonexistent in his life. Both of his parents were alcoholics and just didn’t show him any love. They gave him what he needed to live and that was about it. Sebastian would go to Caroline’s house after school to tell her about his day until Caroline’s husband got orders to North Carolina.

In North Carolina, Caroline had gotten a literature degree and worked at a small local paper. She still felt like she needed a change and at the right time her husband got orders back to San Diego. He was happy so in turn it was good for her if her husband was happy. She was on the beach soaking in the sun one afternoon and a young man stopped to say hi. It was Sebastian!!! She was quite surprised to see him again. Sebastian wouldn’t let up on finding ways to spend time with Caroline.

With Caroline being in a loveless marriage and Sebastian not giving up, one thing leads to another. The twist to this is Sebastian is only seventeen!!! Caroline is 30, and it is a felony to be lovers with a minor at her age. Will they live happily ever after? Or will Caroline end up in prison?

This book was great!! At first I was a little ashamed of thinking about a seventeen year old the way I did but once you get to know Sebastian and Caroline it turned out to be a great story of love.