Their lesson plans didn’t include love. But that’s about to change… distance from a man as warm and kind as Martin will prove challenging, even for a stubborn, guarded ice queen. Especially when she begins to see him for what he truly is: a man who’s never been taught his own value. Martin could use a good teacher—and luckily, Rose is the best.
Rose has her own lessons—about trust, about vulnerability, about her past—to learn. And over the course of a single school year, the two of them will find out just how hot it can get when an ice queen melts.
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- Title: Teach Me
- Author: Olivia Dade
- Series and series number: There’s Something About Marysburg, Book 1
- friends to lovers, romantic comedy, cinnamon roll hero, ice queen heroine, curvy girl romance, workplace romance, banter, teacher
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I adored this book! Rose and Martin were realistic, complex characters, and their motivations and fears were understandable and even relatable. It was a beautifully written story that made me laugh and cry, and I had a huge smile when the last word was read!
100% my absolute favorite Kleypas book. I just adored it! West and Phoebe were complex and perfect. I adored both of their backstories, all they had to overcome and felt them each so much. I LOVED how much Phoebe took the lead and West’s arc was really everything. The farming details were brilliant, the chemistry electrifying, and the children–completely wonderfully written. I bought Justin and Stephen completely and adored all their interactions with Phoebe and West. The plot worked for me. This book is just a masterclass in historical romance. Totally loved it.
If you love a strong, confident, competent and absolutely badass heroine this book is a must read. It is delightful from start to finish.
4.5 Stars This was pure joy. Yes, there was angst, yes there was the sweetest slow burn. Longing out the wazoo. Two AP history teachers who initially clash about the use of a classroom. But this was so smart but not pretentious. Full of heart and layers, humour and heat. It is also so refreshing to have a romance with the couple over the age of 40. Despite rocky divorce and Martin’s shared custody of his daughter, it’s not a bone of contention. CW Classism, past child abuse, past death of a parent, grief, divorce, school lockdown drills (scheduled) infidelity from a past relationship, past workplace sexual harassment, workplace bullying, childhood poverty and fat shaming
I love Rose, in all her slightly damaged, controlled way. She is brilliant and such a great teacher and so caring for her students, but is locked into her she’ll from past hurts. Martin is lovely and kind and so good, but also damaged. Watching these two come together was amazing.
This book was a pure joy to read. Two teachers are set up in an almost-enemies to lovers scenario that has so much heart, I couldn’t put it down. Rose is an “ice queen” and Martin is straight up Hufflepuff. If you’re looking for a comfort read romance that feels like being wrapped up in a cozy blanket with a warm beverage, this is the book for you!
What a gem of a story! Teach Me is absolute perfection, a layered, nuanced seasoned romance and I could not get enough of it. This is the kind of book that makes you laugh out loud one moment and tearing up the next.
Martin and Rose are both in their early 40s, which fed my deep and abiding need for seasoned romance. They’re both divorced and I really admired how this aspect was treated. Rose is an ice queen to Martin’s cinnamon roll soul. They’re both great teachers and I really wish I’d had history teachers like them. I was invested from the moment they met and loved how they kept drawing closer and closer to each other, despite the barriers in place. This is some of the best character development bar none and I especially appreciated Rose’s arc.
I typically avoid single parents in my romance but Martin was a remarkable father and I loved his teenage daughter. Speaking of which, the side characters were the actual best. The other teachers, Rose’s former in-laws…they added so much depth to the story. Truly, I loved this book with my whole heart! Olivia Dade is a remarkable author and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
CW: classism (which is countered), past child abuse (physical and emotional), past death of a parent, grief, divorce, scheduled school lockdown drill, past infidelity, past workplace sexual harassment, childhood poverty, fatshaming (which is countered)
Teach Me is a lovely contemporary romance. It’s smart and full of heart, with relatable characters. This was my first Olivia Dade book, but it won’t be my last.
Sometimes there’s a single scene that perfectly encapsulates a book. In Olivia Dade’s lovely Teach Me, Martin, the high school history teacher hero, looks through the window of Rose’s classroom. He can’t see her because she has angled her desk to give her some privacy from prying eyes. What he sees though are her skyscraper high heels fallen to the side. Her black velvet blazer carefully folded over a student’s desk. What is lovely about this, is that Martin, understands that Rose having peeled off her armor, is not an invitation for him to barge in. The book is filled with these small tender moments of respect between two battered hearts, who have responded to their batterings in different ways. In Dade’s hands, Rose is shell-tough and Martin is oyster-tender and together they create a pearl.
I loved “Teach Me” by Olivia Dade. I always enjoy a slow burn romance, and this is a great one. Both main characters were well-developed and likeable, and I especially appreciated that while both Martin and Rose had a lot of baggage from their previous relationships, they dealt with it maturely and actually communicated with each other about it. They each let their partner know their needs, desires, and boundaries, and didn’t let things build up into a huge, seemingly insurmountable obstacle near the end of the book.
Martin was a lovable beta hero, which made for a nice change of pace from the many alphas featured in the other books I’ve read lately. He was a great dad and his relationship with his daughter was really sweet. As for Rose, I loved how strong and independent she was, and that she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself. The progression of their relationship was really lovely, and I adored the promposal scene when Rose finally declared her feelings for Martin in public.
Overall, this was just a wonderful story, and I highly recommend it.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read enough of Olivia Dade’s books to know that when I read what she’s written, I’m going to feel happy. TEACH ME was no different. Or it was, because it made me HAPPIER than her other books have, but only because she gets better with each book.
Okay, now that I’ve finished my ODE TO OLIVIA, let’s get to the book.
This romance is about two teachers (how refreshing!) who fall in love over a school year. While I’ll readily admit the American school system went over my head at times, the love and respect built in this book did not. I love how the main characters cared about one another, and worked through their stuff to be together. The heat, as always, was fire-hydrant worthy, but it’s really the emotion that makes this book a winner.
Highly recommended.
Teach Me is the story of Martin and Rose, two high school AP History teachers who overcome their pasts to fall in love with each other. This is a VERY slow burn romance. The story takes place over the course of an entire school year. The author is a former history teacher, and it shows. Fellow teachers will applaud all the realistic little touches (clandestine bingo during boring professional development sessions!) that really capture the work we do. At times, I almost worried if the book would be too “teacher-y” for readers without an education background.
One small, lovely touch is a conversation regarding a mutual student about whom they are worried. The student’s name is Sam. It is never specified if Sam is trans or non-binary, but obviously Sam prefers the pronoun they to either him or her. Even without Sam present, these teachers use “they” to refer to them. It’s a lovely, non preachy moment that shows respect for a young person’s preferences. It’s a nice shout out to teachers who quietly advocate for all their students every day.
Full disclosure: I received an ARC in return for an honest review.