Michelle’s Got That Tenure-Track Tragedy Energy and I Respect It

Okay, but imagine being so jaded by academia, your entire personality morphs into “sapphic art history Voldemort” and the only thing that can unfreeze your little tenured heart is your former student coming back, now hotter and bolder and in possession of a literal dream job you’ve been begging for since the Obama administration. That’s “Learning Curves” in a nutshell. And it’s both cozy and spicy, like if a Hallmark movie had an affair with a pottery wheel and also taught feminist theory.

Audrey Lind is thirty, chipper, full of dreams, and officially "That B" who walks into the art department like, “I’m here to shape young minds and also maybe seduce my grumpy ex-mentor?” And Michelle Thompson, that’s her ex-mentor, is a mid-forties academic trauma sponge wrapped in tweed, fresh off a divorce, fueled by bitterness and expensive tea. She is so emotionally unavailable, you’d need a pickaxe, a torch, and possibly a degree in anthropology to access her soft center. Obviously, I loved her immediately.

Let’s talk tropes because this book has them stacked: age gap, ex-student x professor (but now co-workers so don’t come for me), grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance, and slow burn that starts smoldering in a faculty meeting and doesn’t combust until Chapter “We’re Making Out in a Pottery Studio and I Can’t Feel My Legs.” I mean…"Ghost" walked so this scene could run. Someone hose them down. Also me.

But here’s where we start to wobble on the heels. The pacing? She's a little drunk. The slow burn is so slow, it’s practically glacial. Like, if longing were a fuel source, Michelle and Audrey could’ve powered the entire Eastern Seaboard and still not made out until chapter 19. There were moments where I wanted to climb into the pages and shout, “USE YOUR WORDS AND ALSO YOUR MOUTHS.” The communication is healthy once it happens, but good God, the build-up was so restrained I felt like I was back in quarantine waiting for bread to rise.

Audrey is sunshine incarnate, a little too sunshine at times, like the kind of optimistic where you’re like, “No one is this emotionally well-adjusted in real life.” But bless her for charging straight at Michelle’s barbed wire personality with nothing but a smile and some hand-thrown ceramics. Michelle, meanwhile, is basically a lesbian Eeyore until Audrey slowly, painstakingly coaxes her back to life with flirtation, tea, and unwavering patience. Is it sweet? Yes. Is it sexy? Occasionally. Is it...a little tepid until it’s suddenly not? Also yes.

The romance lands best when it leans into their shared passion for art and their slow peeling back of emotional baggage. It’s very “you make me want to be a person again” vibes, and I’m a sucker for it. Plus, there’s no third-act breakup (hallelujah), and the conflict actually comes from realistic, career-related tension and not some contrived “I saw you with your ex and now I’m spiraling” nonsense. Points for maturity.

But let’s be real, the book thrives in its warm, woman-centric world. The setting feels like an ode to fall: scarves, mugs of tea, academic gossip, and soft lighting. Honestly, if you’ve ever fantasized about making out with a hot professor in a Vermont university while discussing feminist sculpture movements, congrats. This is your Super Bowl.

Was I emotionally moved? A little. Was I hornily confused by a pottery wheel? Absolutely. Did I wish the first half had been as compelling as the second? Yup. But for every lull, there was a moment of genuine tenderness or a line that made me chuckle in an “ugh I do want them to be happy” way.

This one gets a solid 3.5 stars from me, a romance that’s earnest, steamy in fits, occasionally sluggish, but ultimately satisfying. Not life-changing, but like...a solid tenure-track candidate who still needs to publish a few more papers.

Huge thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC, and for giving me the chance to fall for a brooding professor without racking up student loans or an HR complaint. Honestly, a win for all of us.

Loved this, this is lighthearted and thoroughly enjoyable. It’s very 🌶️ 🤣 the whole teacher student thing, I think a lot of people can relate too. For me it was Science.
If like me you are looking for a palette cleanser before a heavy high fantasy book, then look no further than Rachel Lacey, her writing styles is relaxed and enjoyable, you always fall in love a bit with the characters.
Def recommend this one.

I loved this book and i love fact that there was no third act break up! a lovely romance and i really enjoyed it

When Audrey returns to her old college as a professor, she's looking forward to the experience, and to meeting Michelle again. But her former professor is not what she remembers. The once vibrant woman, who Audrey used to have a crush on, is bitter and stand-offish. But the more the two are thrown together, the more hints Audrey sees of the Michelle she once knew.

Read if you like:
-Hot for (Former) Teacher
-Workplace Romance
-Sapphic Romance
-Tweed Jackets and Tea
-Pottery Making (IYKYK)
-Finding Your Next Chapter at Any Age

Learning Curves snuck up on me. It was a bit flat to start. Audrey seemed to have more going on in her life while Michelle seemed hung up on her. But it seems Michelle's character development was the true slow burn of this book because by the end, she was my favorite. Her arc was so satisfying and I love the second chapter she made for herself. It was courageous to take that leap.

I love Rachel Lacey! She's one of the first sapphic authors I've read and I have a special place in my heart for her writing. I loved the set up for this one! Full review to come!

Overall: 4/5
Spice level: 2/5
Tropes: workplace, age gap, former professor/student dynamic, forced proximity 

I really enjoyed this sweet and mildly spicy sapphic story! Michelle and Audrey had an endearing chemistry once Michelle let go of her resentment toward  Audrey about something that she wasn't even at fault for.

I loved the diversity among the characters. It felt like the real world. 

This book also includes one of my favorite tropes: age gap. And I love how it was approached. 

Learning Curves is a cozy, enjoyable read!

I loved this! I love books set in academia and Rachel Lacey is one of my favorite authors, so when I heard about this one I was so excited. And Audrey and Michelle delivered! This was fun and sweet and hot and I just gobbled it up. I feel like Rachel writes such good characters every time, whether they're on the page for most of the book or only a couple scenes, it's like I can tell she's put so much thought and care into each character.

Let me start by saying I’m a huge fan of Lacey’s books. Unfortunately this one just didn’t hit for me. I’m not really an art person so maybe that’s the reason I wasn’t fully connecting with it. However I can appreciate the amount of research that was done for this book and bringing light to female artists.
Audrey and Michelle were perfect for each other. And I love that they made communication such an important part of the relationship. They didn’t let the other run from a hard conversation.
As someone currently looking to pivot in my own career, this book actually felt like a bit of a sign, lol. I was so happy to see Michelle rediscover herself and reignite her passion for her work.Some moments were a little too cheesy for my taste, but overall, it was a cute and enjoyable read.

I struggled a lot with this book. I've read other Rachel Lacey books that I've enjoyed, but this one just didn't do it for me. If anything, the slow burn is too slow. I also really struggled with Michelle as a character; it felt like Audrey was talking to a wall for a vast majority of the book. I understand it's supposed to be opposites attract, but there was so little chemistry between these two women that I wasn't sure for the first half of the book what I was even supposed to be rooting for.

A disappointing read, for sure, but I'll still read from the author.

3.75 stars rounded up

I must not be in a romance mood because I normally love Rachel Lacey's books, but this one missed the mark for me. To be fair, I'm also not a fan of age gap, so that probably played into it.

I love Michelle. Her arc from a grumpy tenure professor to loving life again was beautiful. I liked a lot about Audrey, too. She's very sunshine and sweet. I appreciate the lack of a third act breakup. I like that the two communicate a lot. The pottery scene? Fantastic. But the spice just wasn't it for me. (And I HATE when books end on a spicy note. Give me a sweet conclusion any day.)

Overall this is a cozy, sweet, and spicy romance perfect for fall.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

4.5⭐️
A wonderful new romance by Rachel Lacey, set in the academic world of Northshire University. An age-gap, workplace romance, and that it is never too late to take a chance at love.

Audrey Lind, a former student at this university, has landed her dream job as an assistant professor at this very university. Here she can pass on and teach her passion for pottery, and she also has the opportunity to teach the subject “Women in Art.” What a perfect start. The icing on the cake is that her former professor, and her first crush, who also sparked her passion for an academic career, will now be her colleague. But the reunion is anything but what she had imagined. Where is the passionate and warm-hearted teacher from the past?

Michelle Thompson, jaded by her divorce and the constant struggle with the same issues at the university, is now the most unpopular professor and the ice queen of the university. Everyone is badmouthing her, and Michelle finds herself trapped in a situation she is struggling to break out of. And now, of all people, the new assistant professor is allowed to start her “Women in Art” class, which she has been fighting for for years. Who wouldn't be a little grumpy?

What I always like most about Rachel Lacey's stories is the people. With all their flaws, rough edges, and quirks, they are the pillars of her stories. Their experiences shape their personalities and make it understandable why they are the way they are. Warm, cheerful, full of zest for life, open and humorous, or grumpy, dissatisfied, sarcastic, and sometimes unfriendly—but never unsympathetic.

But she lets her characters develop and find new paths. It's nice to see how Audrey doesn't give up right away after her first unsatisfying encounter with her former mentor. She wants to know why Michelle is now so dismissive; she desperately wants to find the motivating and passionate teacher she once knew. And slowly, she begins to break down the walls and barbed wire around Michelle's heart. In the process, the still smoldering embers of her first love are rekindled. As Audrey slowly creeps into Michelle's heart, she cannot resist the younger woman's charm and lets her into her life. Together, slowly, they find ways to remove all obstacles and discover new possibilities and new happiness.

A wonderful, heartwarming story with great leading women whose connection and chemistry can be felt, and also many supporting actors who play small but important roles in the story. And while reading, I drank several cups of tea together with Michelle and Audrey.

The absolute best, most sensual, and hottest scene is at the pottery wheel 🔥🔥🔥 be prepared.

Thank you to Rachel Lacey and NetGalley for receiving an ARC.

When I tell you, I went FERAL reading this book. This book is slow-burn, mutual pining, age gap (and the older professor is BRITISH), pottery lesson PERFECTION. The characters are so well-written and the chemistry is off the charts.

Going into this one, I had really high hopes which were absolutely met and even surpassed. 5 stars, 6 if it were possible. This was probably one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Learning Curves Book Review 🦇

What was your favorite class in college?❓

For Audrey Lind, working with clay still evokes memories of her favorite professor. The woman’s zeal for art history ignited Audrey’s own academic career—and her tweed blazers and British accent kindled her first female crush. After fate brings Audrey back to Northshire University to teach, she’s thrilled to be working alongside her former mentor, but the grumpy woman she encounters upon her return is nothing like the dynamo she remembers. Audrey's passion for life slowly reawakens Michelle’s own. Wary of age gaps and workplace politics, they suppress their smoldering attraction—until one wine-filled night at the pottery wheel puts their romantic truce to the test. Will they keep things on the tenure track or risk it all for love?
🦇

I will always run, leap, even RACE toward a Rachel Lacey romance, and this one did NOT disappoint. Let's break it down. 💜

Characters (5/5) Audrey's optimism and academic excitement is precious. It not only awakens Michelle's long-jaded passion, but adds energy to the story. As always, Rachel Lacey's characters are layered, real and realistic with scars, heartaches, and hopes. ✨

Plot and Pacing (5/5) Despite this being a delicious, salacious slow burn, the pacing never drags. Instead, we get swept up in Audrey's passionate excitement to start teaching, while the smoldering attraction between Audrey and Michelle keeps readers captivated, craving more and more. ✨

World-Building (5/5) Lacey's last sapphic romance, The View From the Top, and Learning Curves, both have stunning sceneries. I felt Vermont surrounding me with every pace, heard autumn leaves crunch beneath my feet as I walked alongside Audrey and Michelle. It's immersive (and, honestly, made me miss school a little). ✨

Romance (5/5) Slow burn romances can feel exhausting, but Lacey excels at letting tension crackle, at using mutual yearning to captivate readers, to keep them rooting for that moment when the desire is too much to deny. Beyond that, Lacey approaches this former student/mentor, age gap dynamic with respect. There's no ick; instead, these two characters learn to lean on one another, gently breaking down the other's defenses. Flirting over tea? Tension crackling as Audrey guides Michelle's hands during a pottery lesson? It's steamy yet sweet, mature and realistic. The best part? There's no third-act breakup, no miscommunication; none of the tropes that disrespect the relationship. Instead, we see them grow together. It's beautiful. ✨

Tone/Prose (4/5) From page one, there's a familiarity in Lacey's prose, as if picking up a conversation with an old friend. Audrey and Michelle have very different voices; you won't confuse one for the other while reading (a trap too many romance writers fall into while crafting dual POV stories). ✨

Recommended for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur, Meryl Wilsner, and Mazey Eddings. 🦇

The Vibes ✨
Age Gap 🎨
Dual POV 🎨
Forced Proximity 🎨
Hot for Teacher 🎨
Academic / Workplace Romance 🎨
Women in Art 🎨
Student / Mentor 🎨
Friends to Lovers 🎨
Grumpy vs Sunshine 🎨
Slow Burn 🎨
Love After Divorce 🎨
Workplace Rivals 🎨
Queer ( Bisexual / Lesbian ) 🎨

Major thanks to the author @rachelslacey and publisher @amazonpublishing for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #LearningCurves 🦇

Quotes 💬
She'd always been prickly when defensive, and right now, she was a porcupine rolled up in a ball, quills protruding to ward off predators...or in this case, bright-eyed young professionals.

"I can't remember a time when I wasn't fascinated with women."

"It took me a little longer to recognize my female crushes for what they were. Anyway, once I realized I was bi, I went through a phase where my whole personality was pink, purple, and blue."

Now she'd kissed the woman who'd been her first female crush, her bisexual awakening, her professor.

Michelle could hardly bear the thought of losing Audrey's presence in her life, her cheerful smiles and handmade teacups and scintillating conversations over afternoon tea in Michelle's office.

Why was everything so much easier with Audrey than it was with everyone else in Michelle's life? With Audrey, she felt...seen. Appreciated. Comfortable in a way she never felt.

Just don't walk away from the right person because you think it's the wrong time.

"I think you're the most impressive thing I've ever seen."

Michelle had always loved kissing, and with Audrey, it was even more pleasurable. It felt like the creation of something, like a tapestry spn between them, a manifestation of their desire.

"Resisting you was the hard part. Being with you has been one of the easiest things I've ever done."

"With you, I felt like more."

"All I need is you."

"You're such a weirdo." Audrey kissed her cheek.
"I'm your weirdo."

Audrey is ecstatic to be returning to her alma mater as a professor, and even more excited to work alongside her favorite teacher, former crush, and bi awakening, Dr. Michelle Thompson. But the once vibrant and passionate professor is a shell of her former self following a divorce and dissolution with teaching. Audrey is determined to crack her frosty exterior and get to know the woman as an adult.

I've enjoyed every Rachel Lacey book I've read, and this one is no exception. With major fall vibes, this back-to-school, New England read would be perfect to read with a cozy blanket and cup of apple cider. I loved both Audrey and Michelle, and was just as interested in seeing their friendship and professional relationship(s) develop as I did their romance. I love that there was, for the most part, stellar communication and conflicts were quickly resolved with a conversation. Would definitely recommend

Thanks to the author and Montlake for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I really enjoyed this!

My favorite thing about this book was that both characters acted their age - with characters in their 30s-40s, there was clear communication, up front expectations, and it felt like they were acting how people in real life would act. Especially with tropes like age gap and (former) professor/student, it’s easy to quickly become unbelievable - this book didn’t do that at all!

A masterclass on how to write a good, interesting romance, without any cringe.

Long time Rachel Lacey reader. Her latest work is the perfect amuse bouche for the fall season. Her descriptions of the college academic life in Vermont, with the added cozy romance, truly was the perfect dose of medicine. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

This book was absolutely 5 stars! I love a good slow burn, and there is a lot of depth to the main characters. The communication and growth throughout the book was both refreshing and inspiring and I’m pretty sure I could keep reading forever about Audrey and Michelle. AAAAAND there’s no third act breakup or miscommunication trope!!

There was so much I loved about this book! It’s the perfect fall read, and the academia vibes made me miss my days on campus.

I found this story to be cute but I didn't feel invested to the characters. It took me a while to finish the book because I didn't find it interesting.

3.5 stars
Thank you Rachel Lacey and NetGalley for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Learning Curves is a fun romance between Drs Audrey Lind and Michelle Thompson, the former of whom was once a student of the latter's college class. I enjoyed seeing women in academia, the romance, and the development of the main characters. I particularly enjoyed reading about Dr. Michelle's journey. As for the age gap, the age difference between the two characters is fifteen years, and the younger character is 30 years old. I appreciated the text's discussion of the fact that Audrey had once been Michelle's college student.

While the overall story was nice, I noticed a couple of small details that confused me.

1. Audrey has a "deaf student" in her class, and the student's accommodation is software that transcribes Audrey's words as she speaks. Afterwards, us readers find out that the student knows sign language. As someone who has a Deaf sister, the word "Deaf" should be capitalized whenever possible, as Deafness is both a disability and an identity. Additionally, I understand that the software can be useful, but if the student knows sign language, two sign language interpreters for classes are typically acceptable accommodations for students.
2. Audrey mentions that her family is adopted, which, as an adoptee myself, I believe is nice. However, for some reason, Audrey says that "...when the time came, she and my dad didn't even try for their own kids." I know that phrases like "own kids" and "kids of their own" are common phrases to use for biological children. I also know that I cannot speak for all adoptees. However, I personally don't understand why someone who was adopted would say something like "own children". As Audrey's mother and brother are all adoptees themselves, I don't believe it makes much sense for a phrase like that to be said. I'm well aware that this is a personal nitpick of mine, but I was thrown when I first saw the phrase.

Even with these two issues, I enjoyed the overall story. There were plenty of tender and steamy moments, and the Northeastern US setting was nice as well. Fans of age gaps, women in academia, art history, sapphic romances, and/or lighthearted reads will likely enjoy this story.

I liked the dynamic between Audrey and Michelle. I really felt the tiredness in Michelle, her mental state being the result of years with a toxic spouse and academia politics that made her lose her sparks for teaching. I felt sorry for her and was so glad that Audrey’s youth and optimism brought back some light in Michelle’s life. They are just perfect for each other, feeding each others’ brain and soul. I liked that Michelle clearly bring the topic of Audrey being her former student. The communication between them was really healthy and the absence of third ard break up was really enjoyable. Overall this was a sweet and angst free read and I liked the academia universe. I just needed a bit more tension or this little something I can’t name to light the spark in me.