If I Were A Lady… by Bryl R. Tyne
Publisher: Noble Romance
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short (78 pages)
Other: M/M, Transsexual
Rating: 3 Cherries
Review by: Cactus

Fifth grade English teacher, Kendra Wright, doesn’t believe in instant love. In fact, at twenty-nine, she’s all but given up hope of ever finding love, period. That is, until she meets the new principal, Valerian Riche.

He may be stunning, gentlemanly and honorable, but falling for the man is the last thing on Kendra’s agenda. But when Val makes the first move, Kendra’s life as the youngest spinster to ever grace the pages of history is turned upside-down.

She’s longed to be treated like the lady she knows she is, but technically, is not. But if the truth comes out, it will destroy her career and end the wildest romantic ride she’s ever known.

Kendra must end the relationship before she’s in too deep. Before the truth is revealed. But, how does a lady say no to the charm-charged wiles of a man as determined, and eager, as Val Riche? While she anticipates the horror of breaking the news, he persists on making her decision as difficult as possible. Maybe Val should’ve checked Kendra’s package before he unchecked his heart.

Kendra’s given up on men, then she meets Val. The sexy new principle of their school refuses to let Kendra run away from her feelings and their relationship. When he forces her to confront her deepest fears, he shows her that they really are meant to be together.

In the twist on this rather classic romance tale, Kendra is a woman with a little something extra. A woman born in a man’s body, she knew early on which gender she was – regardless that she has a penis. But not having the perfect body of a woman has kept Kendra from dating. Her fear of rejection causes her to lash out and treat Val horribly. She can’t believe that he could possibly want her, need her and love her so her response is to consistently sabotage their budding relationship and then run away. To lessen the danger make sure you keep away from the reach of levitra free children and pets. It was included as a control for effects created by the aircraft canadian online viagra rather than the altitude. They viagra 100mg pills http://deeprootsmag.org/2014/02/14/matt-monro-love-tears-valentines-day/ are paying for the advertising of the medication. This subject is very embarrassing for a lot of people need this viagra sale cheap medicine get it today . This fear of intimacy and emotion is an important aspect of Kendra’s personality as she seeks the very thing she fears. The author affords an honest characterization of actions and personality traits that will not always resonate in a positive way to the reader.

Kendra has hints of a sympathetic character, yet it’s difficult to like such a polarizing personality, even if it’s a genuine depiction. Her fear and anger cause her to spend a considerable amount of time ensuring no one will want to be with her, regardless of her body. I certainly understood why Val should leave her alone on numerous occasions, but at the same time I felt bad for Kendra being her own worst enemy. She’s always running off to bathrooms and seems to fall down quite a bit, leaving these characteristics as part of her sullen attitude rather than charming quirks. It’s difficult to understand Val’s persistent attraction to Kendra until near the end, but the hope exists that she may calm down with his consistent affections.

Val is not very well defined in that his emotions swing repeatedly and he lacks any real depth as a character. He’s mostly the perfect gentleman, never remarking on Kendra’s wild behavior and even going so far as to accept her almost abusive office sex. Why within the span of a week, he is in love with her and wants to marry her is a mystery considering Kendra spends much of the week actively working to have him dislike her. However, considering the context of Kendra’s emotional difficulties and the ending information about Val’s proclivities, the relationship begins to make more sense. I just wish the author hadn’t waited until the near end of the story to add this much needed depth and information to the at times chaotic mix of emotion and action.

There were positive aspects to the book in that the supporting characters of Kendra’s friends were well drawn, if not always likable. Additionally, both Kendra and Val are complex characters that show the mercurial nature of someone with a bipolar personality and thus swings from likeable to dislikeable but in an entirely realistic portrayal. The author definitely shows potential in her writing and characters, but the subject matter may limit her audience. Few books are able to look at the complex problems surrounding MtF transgenders with a realistic and untainted view, unafraid of the reader not being able to connect and relate to the characters. While this wasn’t a book I entirely enjoyed, I didn’t hate it and for those who are looking for an m/m twist on the classic office romance theme, this may fill that for you. If nothing else, this is an interesting and honest look at the problems and emotions surrounding an often ignored group of people.