3.5 - 4 Stars 
 Written in an unusually quirky style, Professed is a student/teacher romance about Ben, a college professor and 20-year-old Naomi. I will admit that it took me some time to get into this story, but once I did, I was engrossed in this very hot and at times very funny taboo romance. 
 First, heed the warnings about this book and be aware that this story is VERY explicit! Ben and Naomi meet at a secret masked ball and immediately begin a passionate affair. Dr. Ben Beck is a philosophy professor who has written a book and has been invited to join the faculty at Yale. He has always questioned the existence of love and now ironically, now finds himself head over heels in love with the smart and beautiful Naomi. 
 Once they become aware that Naomi is Ben's student, they are acutely aware of the risks they are taking. Naomi could lose her place at Yale andBen could lose his position on the faculty, at the very least. But this is actually a very fast-paced book and the author's brisk writing style and sense of humor make this a very readable story. 
 "Forbidden fruit is always the sweetest." 
 There are lots of things I loved about this book and some, not so much. I loved reading about Naomi's background and her family: she was raised by her father, a lobsterman in a New England town and she struggles to pay her way through college and to fit in at Yale. I would have loved to read more about Ben's background! The book is told in alternating POV's and the humor and brisk writing style lightens up the very explicit scenes. 
 Naomi's character was unusually mature for her age. Although I did not have an issue with the age gap, I was not totally convinced what a 38-year-old would find so alluring and compelling about a college junior. I would have also loved to have known more about the "secret society" masked ball where Naomi and Ben first met. 
 I loved Naomi's best friend Lucy and I know her story will be hilarious! This is certainly not your average student-teacher forbidden romance and for that, I applaud the author. Overall, Professed is a very sexy, very enjoyable and promising debut story. 
 ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.