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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Novelist Daniel Evans suffers from writer’s block. His next book is due and his publisher is on his case. He needs some space to think, research, write. He can’t find that in NYC.
He ends up at a desk in the back of Mackenzie Milcrest’s classroom in a suburb of Chicago, watching her teach English, scribbling in his notebook, trying to figure it all out.
Miss Mac, as she’s lovingly called by her students, isn’t thrilled by this interruption to her classroom, her routine, her grief, but she wants the trade off - free books for her school in exchange for his six weeks of research.
She plans to keep things professional, maintain a friendly distance, but he’s always there. And he’s cute. And maybe a little wounded, like Mac.
A tentative friendship is trying desperately to bloom into something romantic but both are so timid and unwilling to take the risk initially.
They are super cute together. It takes a long time for them to give into their desires, but in the meantime we’re treated to cute banter, dinner dates and pumpkin patches.
More so, as a teacher, I was completely enamored by the hyper realistic portrayal of a teacher, her students, her classroom. What it’s like to try to be a person in the town where you teach, with all the current and former students wandering around. I connected to this part and found it compelling. It’s clear this was written by a teacher.
There’s a third act break up, but there is also support and patience, two adult characters fumbling around as they learn to trust themselves and one another. Daniel wasn’t a caricature of a spoiled, wealthy best selling author; instead he was vulnerable and insecure despite his fame. Mac was grieving the recent loss of her sister, who had also been a teacher, but she while she struggled in her personal life, she remained confident and passionate about her students.
Plus Jenny was a dream best friend.
I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
3 ⭐️ This was a sweet and pretty predictable rom-com. I was in the mood for exactly this level of emotional commitment so it served it’s purposes. Overall, it did a good job with showing diversity, grief and conflict resolution in non-toxic relationships (which if I’m honest, a lot of romance books sweep under the rug)
lighthearted
fast-paced
This book was soooo good! I read it in a day if that tells you anything! I love books that focus on books, and this was a unique perspective that focused on an English teacher who loved to read and teach others about the love of books. I loved Mac and how real she felt and the emotions Allie was able to evoke through Mac's story. I wish we could have gone deeper into her processing her grief, though I felt it was still well done and handled delicately. And my heart just burst for her and her love of her students. And while I didn't like the lying by omission on Daniel's part, I still loved him overall as well. He also felt real in his vulnerability and I loved how he showed up for Mac. And enter an amazing best friend, Jenny, and that is why this book was an easy five stars for me.
emotional
hopeful
I was taken by surprise by this one. The cover is so simple I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but teacher Mac and writer Daniel end up meeting during a chance bar encounter, then paired together for professional tasks. The two fight their chemistry to no avail and end up realizing that they are more perfect for each other than either could have reasoned. With some levels of drama from their respective professions, the two go through trials to figure out what they truly want, need, and can access.
Spice rating: 3/5
Overall rating: 5/5
Spice rating: 3/5
Overall rating: 5/5
As a teacher I appreciated how true to life the teaching scenes were - from kids blurting out in class to the teacher asking kids to highlight the things they were reading in different colors. The extra work needing to be done beyond teaching - making copies, grading papers, etc - was true to life as well.
I also loved the growing relationship between Daniel and Mac. Mac putting up boundaries and Daniel respecting them was great to see. They were really sweet together - supporting each other as needed. I also loved the close female relationship shown with Mac’s best friend.
I also loved the growing relationship between Daniel and Mac. Mac putting up boundaries and Daniel respecting them was great to see. They were really sweet together - supporting each other as needed. I also loved the close female relationship shown with Mac’s best friend.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was so good! And honestly, that's something I rarely say about someone's debut novel.
The characters were so well developed and their actions (and reactions) never came out of left field - I mean, I read a lot of books (of varying degrees of quality) and even well written ones often leave me scratching my head about why a character did something. Characters whose motivations are so obviously well understood by the author just make me a little swoony.
This was great. I can't wait to read more from Allie Samberts.
The characters were so well developed and their actions (and reactions) never came out of left field - I mean, I read a lot of books (of varying degrees of quality) and even well written ones often leave me scratching my head about why a character did something. Characters whose motivations are so obviously well understood by the author just make me a little swoony.
This was great. I can't wait to read more from Allie Samberts.
I’ve been wanting to read Allie Samberts’s backlist forever and this wasn’t on the plan for the week but it was the right choice!! It is such a good book!! The romance was beautiful! Watching Daniel and Mac slowly but surely and so deliciously fall in love!! It was so worth the wait!! And they were so different but they also complimented each other SO well. Mac and Jenny’s friendship makes my heart so incredibly happy. I love them so much. I can’t wait to read Jenny’s book not only for her story but also for more of her and Mac!!
Between all the sweet and tender moments there is so much real and raw emotions throughout the story. Watching Mac still grieving her sister. How much Daniel was struggling with impostor syndrome. How important GOOD teachers are. I thought it was all so well balanced and written with so much care.
Between all the sweet and tender moments there is so much real and raw emotions throughout the story. Watching Mac still grieving her sister. How much Daniel was struggling with impostor syndrome. How important GOOD teachers are. I thought it was all so well balanced and written with so much care.