This was a little strange for me. People have said that it is the antidote for Fifty Shades. I liked it better because it had no BDSM. The beginning started out a little slow. I found the awakening of MA student Julianne Mitchell was a journey filled with heart aches. Enter her Professor Gabriel Emerson who seems to be tortured by himself and his ideals.  Both Julianne and Gabriel know each other and have a past. The thing that I found strange and hard to understand was that they did not recognize each other. I think it took a little long for that realization to happen. His past and her past collided and then we learn about Rachel Clark her BFF, who is his sister. It was a little explained away when approached. I think if my best friend had a brother, adopted or not, I would have known a great many details. That was the only thing that bothered me. When they realize who they are and place where and when they met we meet Rachel and her Mom Grace. Grace was like a mother to Julia and since Julia’s mom passed away ti brought up the typical American family picture. Julia did not have tht. Gabriel did not have that either. The fact that they are haunted by more than one demon is tough. Her Mother was an alcoholic and she suffered many ears of abuse and being thrown from her Mom to her Dad in Pennsylvania. Poor Gabriel was adopted by Grace and Richard and they treated him equal with their two sons and daughter. Gabriel is 10 years older and was shocked when he realized who Julia was. Although it was never revealed I think Gabriel has some sort of clairvoyant qualities and sometimes reads her mind and is very in tune with women in general. It is also never revealed what Lobby is exactly. It is a club but there is something sinister there. The BEST way to describe this book would be a smart romance. Very intellectual context and comparisons to Dante Alighieri. The University and thesis process is well outlined too. The journey was long and sometimes over descriptive but one worth taking. All of the background information was really hard to imagine, but SO true. Also included was the education and the U of Toronto fraternization policy that is so strict. When they decided to become involved it was VERY adult and the decision was not made hastily and for that I applaud the author. I am moving on the Rapture happily.

My fave quotes:

“Why not think that sometimes—just sometimes—you can overcome evil with silence? And let people hear their hatefulness in their own ears, without distraction. Maybe goodness is enough to expose evil for what it really is, sometimes.”

“Kindness is never wasted.”

“Sometimes goodness doesn’t tell everything it knows. Sometimes goodness waits for the appropriate time and does the best it can with what it has.”

“Look at me. Look into my eyes.” His eyes fixed on hers as they fluttered open.
“I’ll give you anything. My body, my soul, Take them. Take everything.”

“When I am an old man and I can remember nothing else, I will remember this moment. The first time my eyes beheld an angel in the flesh. “I will remember your body and your eyes, your beautiful face and breasts, your curves and this.” He traced his hand around her navel before dragging it lightly to the top of her lower curls. “I will remember your scent and your touch and how it felt to love you. But most of all, I will remember how it felt to gaze at true beauty, both inside and out. For you are fair, my beloved, in soul and in body, generous of spirit and generous of heart. And I will never see anything this side of heaven more beautiful than you”

“You, of all people, deserve a happy ending. Despite everything that happened to you, you aren’t bitter. You aren’t cold. You’ve just retreated a little and been shy, and that’s okay. If I were a fairy godmother, I would give you your heart’s desire in an istant. And I would wipe away your tears and tell you not to cry.

“When I told you that I was intending to worship you with my body, I meant it. With all my heart. I will never take from you. I will only give. In my bed and outside of it.”

“Open your eyes.”
Julia looked up into a pair of blue orbs that were startlingly clear and very emotional, but she could not decipher the emotions. He smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead again before rolling onto his back and gazing up at the stars.
“What are you thinking?” She shifted herself so that she was curled up at his side, close to but not touching him with her body.
“I was thinking about how I waited for you. I waited and waited, and you never came.” He smiled at her sadly.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel.”
“You’re here now. Apparuit iam beatitudo vestra.”
“I don’t know what that means.” She sounded shy.
“It means now your blessedness appears. But really, it should be now my blessedness appears. Now that you’re here.” He pulled her closer, snaking his arm beneath her neck and down to her waist where he splayed his hand, fingers wide, at the small of her back. “For the rest of my life, I’ll dream of hearing your voice breathe my name.”