Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Grab your copy HERE!!!
Having never read Jodi McAlister before, I truly didn’t know what to expect when I picked up An Academic Affair, but oh my word, I was not disappointed! In fact, I loved this book so much that it is easily one of my absolute favorite reads of the year—dare I say, my favorite book? It is a quiet, powerful, and utterly perfect academic rivals-to-lovers romance that completely swept me away.
Book Description
From the “masterly” (The New York Times) Jodi McAlister, a charming new romance about two English professors who embark on a fake relationship…only to discover that it may be harder to pretend than they realized.
Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have been academic rivals since they first crossed paths as undergraduates in the literature department thirteen years ago. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions. Jonah needs the job to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her children, while Sadie needs the financial security and freedom of a full-time teaching position.
When Sadie notices that the job offers partner hire, however, she hatches a plot to get them both the job. All they must do is get legally married. It’s a simple win-win solution but when sparks begin to fly, it becomes clear that despite their education, these two may not have thought this whole thing through.
Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Abby Jimenez, An Academic Affair pairs Jodi McAlister’s “smart, scorching, and emotionally resonant” (Freya Marske, author of A Restless Truth) writing and academic background to prove that she’s one of the smartest rom-com writers working today.
About Jodi McAlister
Jodi is both an author of a scholar of romance fiction. As an author, she's the author of romance novels for both adults and young adults, including the Marry Me, Juliet trilogy and the Valentine trilogy. As a scholar, she's written several academic books about romance and is the Vice President of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance.
My Thoughts
Having never read Jodi McAlister before, I truly didn’t know what to expect when I picked up An Academic Affair, but oh my word, I was not disappointed! In fact, I loved this book so much that it is easily one of my absolute favorite reads of the year—dare I say, my favorite book? It is a quiet, powerful, and utterly perfect academic rivals-to-lovers romance that completely swept me away.
The story follows Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher, who have been fierce academic nemeses ever since they got into their first literary argument as undergraduates thirteen years ago. While they’ve tried to call truces over the years, they just can’t seem to stop poking each other’s buttons. When a highly coveted, incredibly rare full-time faculty teaching position opens up, their rivalry hits epic proportions. Both need it desperately: Jonah needs to move closer to his recently divorced sister and her kids, while Sadie desperately needs the financial security and career freedom. When one gets the job and the other doesn’t, Sadie hatches a brilliant plot to utilize the contract's partner hire clause. All they have to do is get legally married—no big deal, right? Except they quickly discover that it is incredibly hard to stay rivals when you live, work, and are legally tied to each other.
What makes this book so magical is how natural their transition from enemies to lovers feels. Often, the rivals-to-lovers trope can feel forced, but here it is rooted in reality. Jonah—who is the absolute epitome of a charming academic in tweed jackets—has actually been down bad with a massive crush on Sadie for years. Because she didn't seem to reciprocate, it was just easier for him to keep arguing with her. Sadie, on the other hand, has been so focused on her career and viewing Jonah as the definition of establishment privilege that she never allowed herself to see him that way. Yet, their decades of sparring are built on deep mutual respect and a love for each other's intelligence; they are true equals who constantly push each other to be better.
This is a beautiful, delicious slow-burn romance that shines in its quiet, domestic intimacy. Rather than relying on big, audacious, or glamorous plot stunts, the story focuses on the small, real moments of them living and working together. The characters are beautifully layered and flawed with complex family dynamics, but their harshest traits have such softened edges because they truly see the humanity in one another. Jonah is such a supportive, wonderful simp for Sadie, and the way they lift each other up is just so incredibly adorable. Jodi McAlister’s writing is exceptionally smart, emotionally resonant, and perfectly paced. I will definitely be reading everything she writes from now on, and I cannot recommend this brilliant rom-com enough!
For a free, no-obligation vacation quote, CLICK HERE!!
No comments:
Post a Comment