Sex as a Second Language Author:Alisa Kwitney A teacher of English as a second language, forty-year-old Katherine Miner is an expert on idiomatic phrases and subtle verbal cues. When it comes to the opposite sex, however, she's baffled enough to choose early retirement from the dating game. It's not that she hates men, it's just that she doesn't trust them. After all, her soon-to-be ex-husb... more »and has dropped all contact with their son, and her own father disappeared from her life thirty years ago. And then Kat meets Magnus Grimmson, a tall, good-looking, tongue-tied Icelander in the front row of her class. Magnus doesn't appear to pose any threat -- in fact, he seems to understand less about women than Kat does about men. But just when Kat considers risking a little intimacy, her father reappears in her life, causing unexpected complications. Emotionally torn, Kat is left to question whom she can trust -- and to realize that she still has a lot to learn about men and the kind of communication they don't teach in school.« less
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A teacher of English as a second language has in her class a handsome Icelander who is not exactly who he seems. The story contains some subtle insights into romance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it to be a page turner. Curl up with this book on a stormy evening with a cup of Cocoa and realize that life happens....and divorce is survivable.
Alisa Kwitney also writes paranormals and sci-fi under the name Alisa Sheckley. I think I like her paranormal series a bit better although in some ways the plot of this book is strikingly similar- swap "werewolf" with "spy" and you about have it. This is not to say that this book is at all bad. I enjoyed it although I thought she overdid the "bad ex-husband" bit (though I have heard plenty of stories from real life to know her portrayal is acceptably realistic!) The pace of this book was uneven- some points dragged as she tried to express her theme of nonverbal communication- in many places,Kwitney did a great job of demonstrating what she was trying to express, and made the reader sit back and say, "huh! I would never have seen that but now that she has pointed this out, it makes complete sense!" with regard to everyday communication between people. However, at other points she over explains, as if she feels the reader won't be able to follow a more subtle example and need extra help.
In all- a good, entertaining read that misses by just a few degrees of being a great read.