Age of Consent

A younger man . . . an older woman—is this the last taboo? Age of Consent offers a new kind of coming-of-age story, a novel that questions our rules for romance. High school sophomore Rusty Rasmussen’s life transforms when he meets 24-year-old Carla Levy, the new teacher at his school. As they bond with each other over a shared sense of social justice and enthusiasm for music, underlying passions emerge. Once Rusty turns 16, the “age of consent,” the two embark upon a tender and clandestine love affair that neither will ever forget. “Age of Consent is a daring and intimate novel that challenges our assumptions about romance and power. Even more than that, it captures the intensity of first love—its risks, its sweetness, and its lifelong imprint. Mark Thompson gives us a love story that resists easy judgment. What moved me most was not the scandal of the pairing, but the humanity of it—the way desire, conscience, and vulnerability collide.” —Sonia Pilcer, author of Teen Angel “Forget the ‘Mrs. Robinson’ jokes or any ‘cougar’ stereotypes. Age of Consent presents an unorthodox love story, as kindred spirits meet in a high school setting where neither is the other’s teacher, coach, or counselor. The story’s brisk present-tense narration reminds us of the experimental Seventies in which it takes place. Sometimes a great love is nourished when a woman invites a young man to transcend his age. That’s the mythic essence of Age of Consent.” —M. J. Moore, author of Star-Crossed Lovers: James Jones, Lowney Handy, and the Birth of From Here to Eternity View Less