Review: Unteachable - Leah Raeder

I met him at a carnival, of all corny places. The summer I turned eighteen, in that chaos of neon lights and cheap thrills, I met a man so sweet, so beautiful, he seemed to come from another world. We had one night: intense, scary, real. Then I ran, like I always do. Because I didn’t want to be abandoned again.

But I couldn’t run far enough.

I knew him as Evan that night. When I walked into his classroom, he became Mr. Wilke.

My teacher.

I don’t know if what we’re doing is wrong. The rules say one thing; my heart says screw the rules. I can’t let him lose his job. And I can’t lose him.

In the movies, this would have a happy ending. I grow up. I love, I lose, I learn. And I move on. But this is life, and there’s no script. You make it up as you go along.

And you don’t pray for a happy ending. You pray for it to never end.

This novel contains graphic sexual content and strong language. It is intended for mature readers.

Visit Leah Raeder's website for more information

Review:
I purchased this book after seeing several of my friends raving about how good it was (thanks Cory, Ange & Jenny!) but I have to admit I wasn't too sure what to expect when I picked it up. I seem to have read quite a few stories about forbidden student / teacher relationships recently so I wasn't sure Unteachable would stand out from the crowd. After reading the kindle sample I was intrigued enough to buy the book and I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed it. I afraid I've left it too long between reading the book and writing this review to do it justice though but I'll do my best.

I think one of the things I liked most about Unteachable was how honest it was, it isn't afraid to show how messed up the relationship between Maise and Evan is and how the fact that they have to work so hard at keeping it a secret just adds to the excitement for them both. Maise is an interesting character, one I actually found it hard to like at times but her story is compelling and certainly kept me hooked. I liked the fact that Maise can be such a contradiction, in some ways she acts a lot older than her age but then she'll do or say something that reminds you that she is still a teenager and hasn't fully matured yet. I think most of us were probably very similar at that age, I can remember thinking I was an adult and that I knew everything but looking back now I have to question some of my actions! It's not easy when you're old enough to feel like an adult but don't have enough life experience to make mature choices.

I'm still not sure how I feel about Evan, he disturbs me in a lot of ways and I'm not convinced that their relationship would be able to last the distance but I could understand why Maise found him so attractive. There is something compelling about him and the forbidden feel to their romance certainly added to the excitement on both sides. Their relationship is all-consuming and Leah Raeder has done a wonderful job of capturing the intensity of falling in love for the first time. Unteachable is a beautifully written story about flawed characters and mutual obesession, it is gritty, raw and I guarantee it will suck you in!

Source: Purchased

Other reviews of this book:
She Reads New Adult
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