***Review*** Professor Cline Revealed by J.M. La Rocca

Getting pleasure from pain makes me a sadist. I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. Plagued by painful memories and a dark past, I use women to help me forget. I’ve done everything in my power to take control of my life, but there are some things I have no control over.
People think they know who I am, but in reality, they know nothing.
My name is Mason Cline.
But after today, you will call me Professor Cline.

Professor Mason Cline is a sexy, devastatingly beautiful, tortured man with a secret past the dictates his present relationships and career.  Mason's father is a predominate lawyer who has half of the important people in NYC in his back pocket and a hidden agenda. When Mason discovers Emmalynn, a cocktail waitress, one night at a bar he's becomes infatuated with her beauty. Emmalynn is unable to look at Mason without blushing. Emma is in a relationship that is heading for an imminent beak-up when she discovers her boyfriends infidelity. Emma is innocently naive, her ex-boyfriend had been cheating on her for a year before started piecing the puzzle together. 

Mason and Emma's next encounter occurs in the classroom. Emma is a first year law student and Mason is her Professor. Mason is unable to maintain a professional student-teacher relationship with Emma. He does offer to switch her to another professor, Emma repeatedly declines. They have an intense chemistry and they are unable to resist each other. Emma's life is thrown for a loop, she hadn't expected her life to be turned upside down.  Mason continually warns Emma "I'm not the ever after you're looking for, Emma. I'm your one-night stand. I'm no good for you, I will ruin you." Emma is unable to heed his warning and unintentionally put herself in danger. Mason's past is unraveled, hidden danger is revealed. 

Mason is damaged, a tortured past and a dangerous father have created an inescapable world of pain and fear.  Emma has made Mason confront his demons and now must save her from them. Emma grows a backbone, but continually let's down her defenses when she's with Mason.  I don't consider the story a dark romance, but rather a story of infatuation and lust with a twist of danger.  The story develops slowly with past reflections being intertwined to develop Mason's character.  I'm giving The  story 3 1/2 stars because it  has a very familiar plot, an abused hero who needs to find his strength to save the damsel in distress. The story doesn't leave you guessing but there is a cliffhanger.