When University administrator Alan Castleton meets temporary worker and talented pianist Luke Milton, he doesn't expect to become obsessed with the handsome young blond.
But soon he is heavily involved in a passionate and angry affair, and exploring the dark shadows of his own personality in a way he's never encountered before.
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The more Alan tries to break free from his obsession, the deeper it entangles him.
The dangerous split between his reason and his sexual desires threatens his peace of mind and, when the crisis point comes, he must decide once and for all the kind of life he should lead.
Reviews:
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"I want more. The characterisations were terrific, the chemistry, for what it was, perfect, the sex was dark, nasty, erotic as sin and I LOVED it. This is one of my favourite Anne Brooke reads. I loved the dark eroticism and the excellent development of the characters. In such a short word count I felt like I knew both men well." (Read the rest of this 5 star review at On Top Down Under Reviews)
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"The writing here is superb. I felt as if I knew Alan intimately only a few pages into his first person narrative because for all that he's blind to what is going on he's starkly transparent. So I commend Brooke for writing a story that is indeed knowledgeable, that is informative but at the same time seductively sexy. I think you should read this one just to see what you take from it.” (From a 4 star review at The Armchair Reader)
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"This isn't a romance. The sex is not tender and romantic; it's bloody and violent with a strong dose of self loathing from Alan. It is, however, very well written and, as a study of Alan, torn between desire and reason, it's well worth reading.” (From a review at Brief Encounter Reviews)
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"Once again Anne Brooke has pulled off an emotional winning read in so few pages. Her talent for capturing human emotions, kink, and flawed characters never ceases to amaze me. The ending is bittersweet but it felt right and I am happy with it. The Beginning of Knowledge is another winner by the queen of short stories, Anne Brooke." (Read the rest of this 4 star review at Pants Off Reviews)
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"This is dark erotica, a short and intense journey into one man's self discovery, discovery of something dark and dangerous." (Read the rest of this 5 star review at Because Two Men Are Better Than One Reviews)
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"A dark erotic short that isn't my usual type of read. So I started reading this with trepidation and, much to my surprise, I loved it. This is a really well written story about discovery of oneself written in a very sexy way.” (From a 4 star review at World of Diversity Reviews)
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"I love the author's skill in creating character driven stories. I was captivated (with trepidation) by the emotional range of the characters without the story turning to melodrama. The Beginning of Knowledge is not a romantic interlude with wine and roses, but a walk on the dark side.” (From a 4.5 star review at TWLib Reviews)