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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
3.75 stars
I would have liked to give this book 4 stars, but a few things just didn’t hit for me:
* The endnotes in Jonah's chapters. I liked the cleverness of using them in a book about two academics, but reading them on an e-reader was annoying and took me out of the story if my finger slipped trying to navigate back to the text.
* This was an enemies to lovers book. I love that. Not sure the original suppressed chemistry between the two for the many years prior really translated, though. Especially because it took them until 80% of the book to have sex. This wasn't a slow-burn book, this was a crock pot book--the author tossed the ingredients for a hook up into the crock pot at 8am and we didn't get to consume any of it until ten hours later. Frustrating. The story was nearly finished by the time these two jumped into bed with one another.
* And speaking of endings--what the hell? While yes, Sadie and Jonah got their HEA, the ending seemed abrupt and unfulfilling--leaving a major subpot (their employment status) in question only to be hurriedly resolved as an afterthought in the epilogue.
All of that said, I think this book will appeal to mainstream romance readers looking for a unique story.
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
I would have liked to give this book 4 stars, but a few things just didn’t hit for me:
* The endnotes in Jonah's chapters. I liked the cleverness of using them in a book about two academics, but reading them on an e-reader was annoying and took me out of the story if my finger slipped trying to navigate back to the text.
* This was an enemies to lovers book. I love that. Not sure the original suppressed chemistry between the two for the many years prior really translated, though. Especially because it took them until 80% of the book to have sex. This wasn't a slow-burn book, this was a crock pot book--the author tossed the ingredients for a hook up into the crock pot at 8am and we didn't get to consume any of it until ten hours later. Frustrating. The story was nearly finished by the time these two jumped into bed with one another.
* And speaking of endings--what the hell? While yes, Sadie and Jonah got their HEA, the ending seemed abrupt and unfulfilling--leaving a major subpot (their employment status) in question only to be hurriedly resolved as an afterthought in the epilogue.
All of that said, I think this book will appeal to mainstream romance readers looking for a unique story.
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
What an absolute delight! I don't usually reach for marriage of convenience books because, much like Chess, I struggle with the realism aspect, but as soon as I heard the pitch of this book, I was so excited to read it and I'm so glad it did not disappoint! Jonah and Sadie's rivalry and relationship were both just really well done; I felt giddy. I have my ideas/hopes about who the next books will be about, and I'm just really excited to read more!
emotional
funny
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would like to thank NetGalley for this eARC, but all opinions remain my own.
I loved this book, I could not stop reading it. Enemies to lovers in academia??? A perfect combo.
This book was so entertaining, I absolutely loved their dynamic. And then it got even better with marriage of convenience.
My one critique is that I felt like the end was paced strangely, and that the resolution should not have been in the epilogue. I would have preferred a regular epilogue a year after showing their life together.
You absolutely need to pick this up, it was amazing.
I loved this book, I could not stop reading it. Enemies to lovers in academia??? A perfect combo.
This book was so entertaining, I absolutely loved their dynamic. And then it got even better with marriage of convenience.
My one critique is that I felt like the end was paced strangely, and that the resolution should not have been in the epilogue. I would have preferred a regular epilogue a year after showing their life together.
You absolutely need to pick this up, it was amazing.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
I loved the main characters and their stories, but the plot with the sister felt far fetched for the relationship they had. Overall a good read!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for this ARC!
An Academic Affair is a really sweet story. I enjoyed the dynamic between Jonah and Sadie especially as their friendship / relationship began deepening. I also thought Jonah’s brother was a great character and I’d be interested to read more about him. I got a bit tired of Sadie in the aftermath of her fight with Chessie — I understand being upset but it got to feeling a bit over the top.
Rating: 3.5
An Academic Affair is a really sweet story. I enjoyed the dynamic between Jonah and Sadie especially as their friendship / relationship began deepening. I also thought Jonah’s brother was a great character and I’d be interested to read more about him. I got a bit tired of Sadie in the aftermath of her fight with Chessie — I understand being upset but it got to feeling a bit over the top.
Rating: 3.5
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book! Jodi McAlister was a new author to me, but I will absolutely be going through her backlog now. If you love Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, or Ali Hazelwood, you will love this book!!
The story follows Sadie and Jonah as they try to navigate the complex world of academic employment mixed with family issues. They have been academic rivals and competitors for years but with a single conversation comes a truce that neither wants to break and then a job offer they both need. With a marriage of convenience they can both get what they want, but what they want starts to change and be put to the test.
I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book. The storytelling was great, and the footnotes were such an amazing addition. I miss cute footnotes in books and these did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this take on a marriage of convenience as an opportunity for them and not just an outdated construct of "you have to be married, or you can't have ___". It was a great way to modernize the concept and make it feel more realistic. The development of their relationship from animosity to toleration to actual love and support was perfection. Jonah realized his feelings first, but once Sadie got to that point she was all in as well. They both had difficult upbringings but were able to build a wonderful community and family together at the end. I didn't want it to end, and I would love a continuation of these characters in a series. Jodi, please make stories for Fiona, Chess, and Elias/Julia!! I would be so grateful!! And thank you for the term "eucatastrophe" and its beautiful definition. It has found a special place in my heart, and I will carry it with me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
The story follows Sadie and Jonah as they try to navigate the complex world of academic employment mixed with family issues. They have been academic rivals and competitors for years but with a single conversation comes a truce that neither wants to break and then a job offer they both need. With a marriage of convenience they can both get what they want, but what they want starts to change and be put to the test.
I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book. The storytelling was great, and the footnotes were such an amazing addition. I miss cute footnotes in books and these did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this take on a marriage of convenience as an opportunity for them and not just an outdated construct of "you have to be married, or you can't have ___". It was a great way to modernize the concept and make it feel more realistic. The development of their relationship from animosity to toleration to actual love and support was perfection. Jonah realized his feelings first, but once Sadie got to that point she was all in as well. They both had difficult upbringings but were able to build a wonderful community and family together at the end. I didn't want it to end, and I would love a continuation of these characters in a series. Jodi, please make stories for Fiona, Chess, and Elias/Julia!! I would be so grateful!! And thank you for the term "eucatastrophe" and its beautiful definition. It has found a special place in my heart, and I will carry it with me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐.25
Tropes: Rivals-to-lovers, fake marriage, workplace romance
Spice Level: 🔥🔥
Sadie and Jonah have been academic rivals for fifteen years—arguing with each other in class, comparing lecture styles, and fiercely competing at every turn. When a tenure-track job opens up, they are obviously pitted against each other, yet again. Jonah needs the job so he can move to be closer to his recently divorced sister and children, and Sadie needs the job for the financial security of a full-time position. When Sadie notices the job offers a partner hire, they decide to team up… by getting legally married. Totally genius, right? It is...until it isn't.
The enemies-to-lovers tension here is chef’s kiss. Their banter is snappy, witty, and filled with that delicious slow burn. I especially loved seeing Jonah’s secret pining play out in his internal footnotes (seriously—footnotes!). Their dynamic shifts beautifully from competition to genuine care as they face university politics, underpaid faculty struggles, and life’s curveballs together
That said, a few things didn’t land for me. The big fight and subsequent silence between them felt a bit out of proportion. They didn't speak for so long, and there was a lot of miscommunication and reading into words that weren't intended as such. The climax and epilogue did feel a little rushed and chunky compared to the rest of the story.
If you're craving a smart, tropey rom-com set inside the world of academia—with marriage-of-convenience, long-built enemies-to-lovers, and secret-keeping turned heartfelt communication—this book delivers in spades. Just be ready for some uni-heavy scenes and a hurry-up ending.
Many thanks to Atria Books for an advanced reader copy for my honest review.
Tropes: Rivals-to-lovers, fake marriage, workplace romance
Spice Level: 🔥🔥
Sadie and Jonah have been academic rivals for fifteen years—arguing with each other in class, comparing lecture styles, and fiercely competing at every turn. When a tenure-track job opens up, they are obviously pitted against each other, yet again. Jonah needs the job so he can move to be closer to his recently divorced sister and children, and Sadie needs the job for the financial security of a full-time position. When Sadie notices the job offers a partner hire, they decide to team up… by getting legally married. Totally genius, right? It is...until it isn't.
The enemies-to-lovers tension here is chef’s kiss. Their banter is snappy, witty, and filled with that delicious slow burn. I especially loved seeing Jonah’s secret pining play out in his internal footnotes (seriously—footnotes!). Their dynamic shifts beautifully from competition to genuine care as they face university politics, underpaid faculty struggles, and life’s curveballs together
That said, a few things didn’t land for me. The big fight and subsequent silence between them felt a bit out of proportion. They didn't speak for so long, and there was a lot of miscommunication and reading into words that weren't intended as such. The climax and epilogue did feel a little rushed and chunky compared to the rest of the story.
If you're craving a smart, tropey rom-com set inside the world of academia—with marriage-of-convenience, long-built enemies-to-lovers, and secret-keeping turned heartfelt communication—this book delivers in spades. Just be ready for some uni-heavy scenes and a hurry-up ending.
Many thanks to Atria Books for an advanced reader copy for my honest review.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a delightful little romance but the real heart of the story lies in the relationship between Sadie and her sister, Chess, which I absolutely loved reading about.