Review: Gabriel’s Rapture – Sylvain Reynard

Professor Gabriel Emerson has embarked on a passionate, yet clandestine affair with his former student, Julia Mitchell.

Sequestered on a romantic holiday in Italy, he tutors her in the sensual delights of the body and the rapture of sex. But when they return, their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover.

When Gabriel is confronted by the university administration, will he be forced to share Dante’s fate? Or will he fight to keep Julia, his Beatrice, forever?

Series:  Gabriel’s Inferno #2
Release Date:  May 22, 2012
Publisher:  Sylvain Reynard
Source:  Amazon, via my own wallet
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

I adored Gabriel and Julia in the first book, so I wasn’t sure if that could be topped in the second one.  This one exceeded my expectations!

The semester has ended and Julia and Gabriel figure they are finally free to bring their relationship out into the open.  But from the very beginning, you can see there are a few very dedicated people hoping to throw a wrench in their relationship.  Gabriel and Julia both vow to put up the good fight and prove they did nothing wrong, but when their need to protect one another has them working against each other, we get an upfront seat to the devastation that occurs.

Gabriel is still Gabriel.  He can be an ass, but he can also be sweet and wonderful and wants nothing but the best for the woman that he loves.  Sometimes his desire to make sure Julia has everything she needs comes at a cost of Julia fending for herself or giving her the option do to what she wants.  That need almost cost Gabriel everything that he holds dear, but in the end I think it made him appreciate not only Julia, but the kind of love they have for each other that much more.

Julia grew quite a bit in this book.  Not so much the timid mouse she was in Inferno, she now is ready to stand up for what she has with Gabriel, despite what Gabriel wants them to do.  When things take an unexpected turn with Gabriel, she managed to pull herself up and keep doing what she had intended to do with her life.  That’s not to say she didn’t have her moments of breaking down, but instead of letting what transpired beat her down, she wallowed for a moment and moved forward.  It was great to see, because it proved she truly was an equal to Gabriel.

I loved this addition to the series.  The relationship between Gabriel and Julia is very complex and, at times, proves just how inexperienced they both are at having a relationship.  But at it’s core is the proof that they are soul mates and can overcome an obstacle, as long as they work together.