Short Take Reviews: Teach Me and 40-Love by Olivia Dade

 

TEACH ME
Olivia Dade

Series: There's Something About Marysburg #1

4 stars

Their lesson plans didn't include love. But that's about to change...

When Martin Krause arrives at Rose Owens's high school, she's determined to remain chilly with her new colleague. Unfriendly? Maybe. Understandable? Yes, since a loathsome administrator gave Rose's beloved world history classes to Martin, knowing it would hurt her.

But keeping her 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.

*****

There was a lot to enjoy in Teach Me and it was easy to pull for Rose and Martin, both in their individual journeys and as a couple.

PROS:

Rose – a female protagonist who was independent, dedicated, confident in her abilities as a teacher, and not a doormat.

Martin – a perfect cinnamon roll beta hero, so kind and willing to give love, and ultimately learning to stand his ground and know his own worth. I could gush about this sweetheart of a man all day.

Body positive – a plus-size heroine who was (gasp!) comfortable in her own skin. More of this, please!

Romance MC’s who are in their 40’s – Yes! So much yes!

Low drama/no angst – Rose and Martin were two adults who actually acted like mature adults. They both had baggage and there were conflicts, but they were handled without big drama.

CONS:

Rose’s prickly nature – I can struggle with prickly heroines and while I got that this was Rose’s emotional armor, it still wore thin on me at times.

The cover – I know it’s inconsequential, but I’m so over the illustrated cover trend (and have been for the last year) so seeing an illustrated cover at this point is actually a big turn-off. 

40-LOVE

Olivia Dade

Series: There's Something About Marysburg #2

3.5 stars

This match is no game.

When a rogue wave strips Tess Dunn of her bikini top, desperate, half-naked times call for desperate, please-cover-me-kids-are-coming-closer measures. Enter Lucas Karlsson, AKA that flirty Swede in the water nearby. When he prevents her bare buoys from being exposed to fellow vacationers, even an ocean can’t drown the sparks that fly.

Lucas, a former top-level tennis pro now giving lessons at the resort, fled there after the abrupt, painful end to his injury-plagued career. But he’s finally ready to move on with his life—and after a few late-night, hands-on sessions with Tess, he’s eager to prove he’s the ace she wants.

But this match comes with challenges: She’s forty, and at twenty-six, he’s barely old enough to rent a car. Worse, they only have two weeks together before Tess returns to her assistant-principal life in Virginia. During that brief time, they’ll have to play hard, take a few risks, and find out whether their chemistry is a one-shot wonder…or whether they’re meant to be doubles partners for life. 

*****

A May-December romance with 40-year-old school administrator Tess and 26-year-old tennis pro Lucas. While the two other books I have read by Dade have been super enjoyable, this one didn’t hit quite as hard for me.

PROS:

A funny meet-cute – Lucas steps in to provide coverage after Tess loses her swimsuit top in the ocean waves. The laughter and second-hand embarrassment were in full force.

Lucas – The Swedish love interest was cocky and flirty, but not without his own vulnerabilities. He had been selling himself short and it was great to see him start to appreciate his own strengths and take steps to put them to use. (Also, any man who will go to such lengths to take care of a woman’s period cramps is a keeper. Marry this man immediately.)

Great banter – I’m a sucker for it.

CONS:

Tess – Unfortunately, I just could not connect with Tess and, ultimately, didn’t find her to be all that likable. I had several issues with her but by far the biggest was her preoccupation with the age difference between she and Lucas. She brought it up constantly, used the fact that she was older (and presumably wiser) as a weapon, and consistently made assumptions about Lucas based on his age. (Would she have had the same issue with a man who was 14 years older than her? I think not.) Her hyper-focus on this one issue really hindered my overall enjoyment of the story.

The cover – Yes, I sound like a broken record, but I cannot even express how tired I am of the illustrated covers. Please someone, make them stop.

HAVE YOU READ EITHER OF THESE BOOKS?