Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance Heat Level: 3 Word Count: 18, 000 ISBN: 978-0-3695-0956-7 Editor: CA Clauson Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

The Man on the Cliff by Nancy E. Polin

Heat Level 3
$3.99
SKU 978-0-3695-0956-7
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Rylie Ferguson survived the unthinkable to claw her way back to reclaim her life and pursue her education. But one thing now stands between her and her future: Professor Braeden Hurley.

Braeden Hurley guards his own wounded past with ferocious privacy, but now an attraction to a beautiful student threatens to unravel his carefully constructed world.

But finding the strength to move forward can be a choice, one with challenges, one with hope, but also one with danger...

 

Excerpt:

“So, you’re upset because I don’t give you a pat on the head and a cookie every week?”

I took a deep breath. “No, I’m upset because you’re an arsehole.”

“Sometimes assholes are made.” He lowered his voice. “Do you want to keep this up, or should we work on your thesis?”

His condescending tone made me snap. It felt like piano wire pulled to its limit and released with violent recoil. In that moment, I really wanted to hurt him. I was too small to be any threat physically, but I could spit venom well when provoked. “What makes you so special, Professor Braeden Hurley?”

He didn’t respond, other than to slip from behind the safety of his desk, face stoic. I expected he would soon just boot me out.

“Do you speak to all your students like their brains are at half-mast? Somehow, I doubt it. What’s so special about me that you feel compelled to treat me like an annoying afterthought?  Seriously. What right do you have? Because I’m pretty sure the whole ‘I teach because I can’t actually do’ is fucking prevalent here.”

He moved quickly into my face. He didn’t hurt me, but he did startle me. I was too angry to be scared. I jutted my jaw upward, hearing echoes of past accusations of newly acquired obstinance. “Isn’t that usually the truth, Braeden? Isn’t it?”

The man moved closer, until bare inches separated us. He glared down, fury heating his body and sending shimmers into mine. I smelled cinnamon coffee, soap, and a subtle fragrance of aftershave when he leaned down and growled into my face. Despite everything, to my irritation, my body trembled, and it wasn’t from fear. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I? I’ve never heard of you, and I’m pretty damned familiar with artists from just about anywhere. Basquiat, Rosanna Dean, Diego Rivera, William Kentridge, Nguyen Phan Chanh, Eduardo Arroyo, Marc Chagall, should I go on?” In anger, I was pretty sure my pronunciations were less than stelar, but I couldn’t dwell on my disrespect at that particular moment. He winced and the room seemed to shrink with tension.

I knew I was being a complete bitch, compounded when I thought I saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes. His body coiled in that moment and I felt sure he would pull back and hit me. Some sick part of me considered that I may have provoked him. With disgust, I recognized the thought from who I was before. But Hurley did neither. His voice softened a notch from gruff to painfully scratchy. “You be the judge.”

I stared at him, the angry passion of the moment leaving in a tide of fatigue. “What?”

Hurley shook his head, as if reconsidering his words, then took hold of my shoulders to move me aside. “Lock the door when you leave.”

He stalked from his office, head down and hands deep in his front pockets, while my unvoiced borderline apology floated around me.

 Guilt flared when I considered one thing. After the hurtful shit I’d laid on him, I deserved to be thrown across the room, well, metaphorically. Instead, his touch had been gentle. Too gentle.

I was now officially confused.

Product Reviews

Score: 4 out of 5 (based on 11 ratings)
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4/5
The Man on the Cliff!
Written by Mary on 23rd Mar 2024

This is a good story about two broken souls finding redemption and more. The story is a fairly short and quick read that starts off a little slow and is a little choppy. I enjoyed every bit of it. The story is about Rylie and Brady. She has struggled coming back from a near death experience and is taking charge of her life. He is her surly professor and stands in her way of her goal. She does not know what she has done to deserve his coldness. When she confronts him she finds out more than she thought was there. I enjoyed the story. It is good with suspense, danger, action, steam, passion and love.

4/5
Enjoyable!!
Written by Wendy L on 23rd Mar 2024

This is Braeden and Rylie’s story. This is a quick read story, which had a student / professor, forbidden romance, emotions, trauma, drama, tension, chemistry, and love, which leads to an unpredictable and steamy page turner. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

4/5
Depression
Written by ChrisL on 23rd Mar 2024

This is a lunch read. This is Rylie and Braeden's story. He's her mentor, but treats her horribly. She wants to know why? Learn their secrets and wha will happen at the end for them both.

4/5
Rylie and Braeden
Written by Jen9731 on 23rd Mar 2024

The Man on the Cliff is a short and steamy, enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn, age-gap, student gets her professor romance. Rylie is a sassy and feisty, 27 year old art student doing her thesis. Braeden (Brady) is her hunky (late 30s), grumpy, art professor, and person in charge of overseeing her thesis. The two constantly butt heads, but there is underlying chemistry and sexual tension. A series of events bring the two together and romance blooms. But both parties have some trauma and demons in their past that they need to face. Can they help heal each other? Their chemistry was hot, and we ended on a happy note after some drama. I really enjoyed this story but would have loved to get Brady's POV, too. This was my first book by this author, but I hope to read more.

5/5
Short Story
Written by Jeanne R on 23rd Mar 2024

This is the first book I've read written by Nancy E. Polin; I can’t wait to read more of her books. She has written a good short story. The story is about Rylie & Braeden; she’s fought her way back and is trying to put her life back together.

4/5
The Man on the Cliff
Written by Babs on 23rd Mar 2024

Rylie Ferguson is Professor Braeden Hurley's student and their romance is forbidden. Will these two get the happy ending they long for and can they help each other overcome their pasts? A well written story that held my interest. I received a copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

5/5
A Must Read
Written by Danee on 23rd Mar 2024

What a wonderful age difference story. We follow Brady and Riley. She is still a student and he is her professor. They had a bit of a rough start but soon that changed and sparks flew between them. Both have a backpack and things to process from their past and to deal with the necessary traumas. This is definitely recommended to read, I was so engrossed in their story that I couldn't put the book down and so I read it in one go.

5/5
Wonderful
Written by Marie R on 23rd Mar 2024

I really enjoyed reading The Man on the Cliff. Once I started reading it I had a hard time putting it down. Riley and Brady have a wonderful connection and they help each other overcome past trauma. I would put this on your must read list!!

5/5
Two souls destined to find each other and heal--great read
Written by Andrea R on 23rd Mar 2024

I shorter read with intense subjects Student and professor have a lot of angst to begin with and then one twist makes such a difference. They are two souls that find one another and they are each healers to one another.

4/5
Two broken souls
Written by T.Ell on 23rd Mar 2024

I enjoyed reading this novella length book. Riley is a college student and Brady is her professor. To begin with there is a lot of tension between them. Then one act of compassion changes it all. They are two broken people who find a home in each other and help each other overcome the traumas that are holding them back.

4/5
...a slice of life story...
Written by Anya Z. on 23rd Mar 2024

?ARC Review? Nancy E. Polin is a new author for me. I read The Man on the Cliff. It is a short story about a college student and her art professor each dealing with their respective trauma. I would not classify this story as a romance, dark romance or enemies-to-lovers romance. Brady & Rylie spend more time annoyed/pissed off with each other, than as lovers. The story has some bits of suspense, typical college life of attending classes, studying in the library & going out... sprinkled with family support & scottish swear words & humor. The sex scenes are a tiny level above the "fade-to-black" trope. There is an HEA for Brady & Rylie. I feel this is more of a "slice-of-life" type of story. ⚠️ No TWs listed at time of ARC Reading! ⚠️ • Rylie remembering SA in moving vehicle • Off -Scene Death of Family Member & Girlfriend due to drunk driving • Talk of Depression • Rylie questioning herself if she thought about suicide • Talk of Brain Trauma & Personality Change due to SA • Attempted gaslighting by ex-boyfriend • Ex-boyfriend attempts to hold hostages with gun threat • Rylie shot by her ex-boyfriend

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