Critical reviews are difficult to write, and that is particularly the case when one is reviewing a debut novel.  

I will start with the positive, and that is that the basic premise of this book isn't bad and, on the whole, I understood what the author was trying to achieve.   However, for me, the author's lack of experience showed, and the story suffered as a result.

The conversations between the characters alternated between having a natural cadence and then lapsing back into more stilted and awkward language, due a lack of contraction use.  

And the interactions themselves were also quite varied in the success of how they were described.  Sometimes it was very difficult to see Violet as a college student, because her outlook was often very young, and just at odds with other aspects of her character and approach.

I struggled with similar issues for David's character as well.  At times, his behaviour felt to me to be borderline juvenile, whilst at other points, there was a clear gap in their respective maturity levels.

Ultimately, this was let down by the execution, and just bounced around a bit too much to be a truly enjoyable read.  

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

This is a forbidden love story. Violet catches the eye of a very handsome man, who ends up being her Professor. Professor Berneli "David" is attracted to Violet also, but they both know that is should not happen. Violet, decides she is going to try fighting her attraction to him, by going out with another Student "Trent". Trent is jerk, he groped, and kissed Violet, while still going out with his supposed ex-girlfriend. When Violet finds out, she leaves a party that she catches them in, and Trent get violent. While all this is happening there is also another creep, who is a cop of the campus, and he ends up stalking her. Professor Berneli, and Violet decide not to fight attraction and they go for it. Some misunderstandings go on, an attack, and David and Violet end up together. But for how long? We need the next installment. It is not a cliffhanger, you just want to know.

For the most part this was a good story. A few minor things but still a good plot.

a pretty good read

***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

First of all, it was mostly hard to read this book. At first I wasn't feeling it, then I realized it'd be a student-teacher romance and it picked my interest, but then it fell flat again. It didn't really feel like a "forbidden" romance and I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the story.

The storytelling didn't flow and mostly the characters just annoyed me, specially Violet. A lot ofthing started happeningatthe sametime and then they weren't given continuity and then later the story got back to them. It was a bit messy for me.

And even though this is a story with plenty ways in the plotline to be angsty, I missed the angst that, for me, would have made this a good one.

Not. A. Fan! The school seems much more like a high school than a college. The girls were ridiculously immature and stupid. The male characters were creepy, ALL OF THEM! All the way around...not good!

Perhaps NA is just not my thing, but I really, really could not get into First Semester. I found it mundane and bland, and not at all believable. Well, parts of it were believable: for the most part, college students are rather shallow and pretty much just party animals like the characters in First Semester. I know I was a partier, it's part of the whole college experience. But, for some reason, I couldn't connect to any of the characters in First Semester. They were all rather one dimensional, and for a forbidden professor/student romance, First Semester is pretty low on the romance and heat, and high on the boring details about the daily lives of college students. I've read much better professor/student romances (my favorite is The Hunted series by Ivy Smoak) with professors who are much hotter and far more confident and commanding. As professors go, David is pretty weak. I was expecting a hot, James Bond type of professor what with him being British and all, but David is more like Q, but less nerdy. And don't get me started on Violet, she's so boring I found myself skipping large parts of First Semester trying to see if she'd grow up, mature, perhaps become a nicer, less indecisive person. The way she juggled Trent and David was irritating and ridiculous. Then there is Finn, stalker extraordinaire. There isn't anything compelling enough about Violet to warrant the attention of three men. Nope!

If you're looking for a NA romance with substance, or a hot and sexy professor/student romance, I suggest you look elsewhere because First Semester is not the book for you. And, if you are only into HEA's, skip this one, because it's only got a vague HFN ending. Probably because this is a first in what I'm assuming will become a series.

Moved way to slowly and the characters were flat and boring.

Violet is a freshman at Elton Hall where she sees the most enigmatic men she has ever met. Unluckily for her, he turned out to be her Literature Professor.

Any relationship between them is FORBIDDEN. They knew it. I knew it. The whole University knew it. But how long can they fight the attraction?

For the life of me, I couldn't get into this book.

First off, this was a forbidden romance, right? Student/Professor? Well, it didn't give me that vibe. Then, Violet started seeing Trent...

"I was hooking up with my professor and setting up a date with a frat guy, I wasn't sure when my life got this exciting or If I could even handle it."

and I was like...

REALLY, REALLY?

And don't make me star talking about the Finn thing. Oh hell, no.

Violet was annoying. I didn't like her, so I couldn't understand why every man in campus loves her, LOL. Professor David, the hero of this story was non-existent, what pissed me off because I usually love the heroes but not this time. He was barely ok.

The story seems to fall extremely flat and a bit drawn-out to me, which made me feel like it wasn't going anywhere.

So this book sadly fell victim to my No, just NO books.

Overall, It was an ok book, just not for me.

I’m going to confess that New Adult and I have a rocky relationship which surfaces at the most unexpected times. On the one hand, it’s a genre that most realistically recalls the uncertainty and exhilaration of new experiences; at other times I find it too ridiculous and beyond my comprehension—possibly because I’ve moved so far beyond the games and exploration bit that some characters get narcissistically lost in.

It was admittedly hard to get into the ‘First Semester', as the first half pretty much consisted of linear, descriptive scenes of Violet’s daily life as a freshman in college. Not that I couldn’t relate, but I was waiting to get to the heart of the story where Violet and David began their forbidden relationship and somehow didn’t find myself there at all. Instead, there was an introduction to several potential love interests, several merry-go-rounds involving roommates skirmishes and classmates that proved distracting.

Somewhat too self-absorbed and judgemental, the portrayal of Violet is pretty much what I’d expect of a college-age co-ed, though I still cringed at her lack of maturity and discernment as she tried juggling hooking up with 2 guys at once without being able to make up her mind about what she really wanted. Her false bravado annoyed me, just as her flaunting the other guy she seemed interested in, right in the face of the man who wanted her. At the same time, I found it a little hard to believe that David would have propositioned Violet so boldly despite knowing college code, and that things between them could hardly be more than just a crush and infatuation that intensified because of their dalliances were forbidden. Consequently, I found them somewhat juvenile, even with a vindictive side when both parties pussy-footed around each other because they couldn’t work out their attraction. The HFN ending was suitably appropriate, though not as satisfying as I thought it would be.

‘First Semester’ unfortunately, wasn’t a book I thought I’d liked, as much as I wish I could. I found myself marginally interested in Jason/Annabelle’s story but I’d also love to see a more focused development on them rather than be inserted as bystander in the whirl of college activities that I felt takes the impact of the romance away.

Violet Carrington is a freshman at Elton Hall and it's at the University's casino night when she sees the most amazing man. Their eyes meet and sparks fly but next time they meet it turns out 'Hercules' as she's called him is actually Professor David Berneli.
Any relationship between them could result in him losing his job and her being expelled but how long can they fight the attraction they feel?
Violet tries to distract herself with Trent who seems a far more suitable option for her, with him she can walk round campus and not have to hide, plus there's Officer Finn who is obviously attracted to her.
I believe this is this author's first book and if so then she's off to a good start.
This is a first in series and as such it's busy, there's a lot of character introductions and some interesting characters but......
Despite all the characters this moved a little too slowly at times and it seemed strange that Violet suddenly finds herself wanted by David, Trent and Finn.
I understand the dilemma of a student/professor relationship and I know Violet was attracted to Trent but I found it disconcerting that Violet was kissing and making out with David one minute and then Trent the next, it just didn't sit well with me.
Like I said this is a first in series, it's not a cliffhanger but there is unanswered questions, particularly what was going on with Trent?

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.