Currently listening to this read, and I’m loving it so far! Audrey and Michelle are relatable in the fact of holding someone you knew on a pedestal but theyre no longer that person.

The communicationnnnnn! I loathe a miscommunication story line but this is such a breath of fresh air!

I will update the review once finished! I just couldn’t wait!!

3.75 stars

There was a lot to love in this book. I really liked both characters from the start even though Michelle was a bit grumpy. You could tell she didn't want to be grumpy when we got her inner thoughts and I found that to be relatable. I also loved Audrey's enthusiasm for her job but also her seeing something behind Michelle's new mood. I think the age gap helped in that way too because yeah after all that time at one place and nothing getting better? I'd be grumpy too. I really appreciated seeing a "oh I don't like that" in the middle of an intimate scene and the immediate change without it killing the mood. I also think the spice was spicing plus we got a bit of a Ghost scene recreation. What wasn't feeling right to me was the dialogue in much of the book. It often times felt unrealistic, formal, and scripted. Much of the dialogue just didn't feel in rhythm with how most people talk.

The audio was fantastic. The narrator did a great job throughout but the spice scenes were significantly better with the narrators acting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC!

Learning curves by Rachel Lacey
Arc from Brillance publishing
Release date: Sept 2nd 2025
-I love her passion
-I can feel the tension+ invisible string and they haven’t even met each other
-the drama and tea about the teachers has me intrigued
-in a lot of romances one is a teacher I love the fact they are both teachers and sapphic romance 👀
-also can we talk about this cute fall vibe cover 😍🍂
-the fall vibes and details are truly a vibe
-i would have loved to take the class women in art
-the clay scene 👀🔥
this was a beautiful romance I loved their connection
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I find all of Rachel Lacey's books to be incredibly romantic; this one did not disappoint. Thank you to Brilliance Audio for the chance to review Rachel's new book, Learning Curves. Let's provide a synopsis, and then we'll dive into my thoughts!

Version 1.0.0

From the author of Stars Collide and Cover Story comes a steamy will-they-won’t-they romance about a bright young teacher reconnecting with the jaded professor she once pined for.

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.

Divorce and a stalling career have turned Dr. Michelle Thompson bitter and guarded. When Audrey swoops in to teach the Women in Art class Michelle’s been pitching for years, she longs to hate her. But her young rival is too kind, too enthusiastic, too irresistible. And her 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?

-Synopsis of Learning Curves

This book has many of the same tropes that we're used to in Rachel's books. The tropes that are explored in this book are: Hot for Teacher, Workplace Romance, College Professors, Rivals to Lovers, Age gap, and a Jaded professional looking to branch out and chase a new dream. These tropes are so classic to this author because the protagonist is always an ingenue who is starting out in a career that the jaded love interest has been in for years. This is especially true for our protagonist, Audrey.

Audrey is a great example of a character who is so passionate. The excitement that she will be working alongside the same professor who guided her into the profession is like a dream come true. However, the dream suddenly turns into a nightmare when Michelle Thompson is not the passionate art historian she once was and is so stand-offish towards Audrey. It comes as even more of a disappointment when we learn that the reason Michelle is bitter about Audrey becoming a professor is that Audrey would be teaching a version of a course that Michelle had pitched to their department chair.

The dynamic between Audrey and Michelle is so electric. When they kiss for the first time, it's a little bit after the Halloween dance that the college's Pride Alliance puts on. Audrey invites Michelle over to learn how to throw a pot, and it turns into the pottery wheel scene from Ghost (1990) very quickly. Unfortunately, Michelle can't get it out of her head that Audrey was her student. They start to develop feelings for each other very quickly.

I would rate the spice a 5/5. The way the book can lean on the age gap as something of a taboo makes it more tantalizing. The spice is just as good as the romance, which is so swoony that I was fanning myself the entire time I was reading the more romance-centered scenes.

Quinn Riley's narration was incredible, as it always is! The spicy moments balanced so well with the more emotional moments that I was blown away by it! The way she can do those more emotional romance scenes proves to me how good an actor she is! Bravo! Also, the epilogue has a really spicy scene containing a fantasy role-reversal where Michelle is playing the student and Audrey the teacher!

Learning Curves had no flaws; it was an enjoyable book, and I give it 5/5 Stars!

★★★★★

Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey is out this coming Tuesday, September 2nd. It is available in Print (signed Copy), Paperback, Ebook, and Audio. Please give it a listen! Thanks again to Brilliance for the chance to review this beautiful book!

Rachel Lacey’s Learning Curves is an absolute delight—equal parts tender, witty, and deeply romantic. From the first page, I was drawn into Audrey and Michelle’s story, a perfectly paced slow-burn between two women navigating past connections, professional boundaries, and the undeniable pull of second chances.
What I loved most was how Lacey captured the complexity of both characters: Audrey’s optimism and passion balance beautifully against Michelle’s guarded, grumpy exterior. Their chemistry is palpable, and the age gap/academic power dynamic is handled with nuance and care. It never veers into cliché; instead, it feels grounded, real, and incredibly satisfying.
The academic setting, the pottery scenes (yes, they are as fun and steamy as they sound), and the way both women challenge each other to grow make this more than just a romance—it’s a story about rediscovery, vulnerability, and finding joy again when life has worn you down.
Learning Curves is a smart, heartfelt, and sexy read that had me hooked start to finish. If you love will-they-won’t-they tension, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and romances that make you both swoon and smile, this one should be on your list. Highly recommended.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

I adore a sapphic age gap romance and this one is delightfully spicy. A slow burn that is worth the wait, the writing was great. The narrator nailed British accents, but I admit the breathiness in some of the romance scenes came off as a little weird to me. All in all though, really enjoyable.

I loved this book! It's so spicy, so fun and such a good twist on professor/student! I now want to visit Vermont, and also read some of the books that were referenced about women artists throughout history!

Where to begin with this book? It’s incredible. I was drawn to Audrey and Michelle from their first interaction because I’m a sucker for a well-written grumpy/sunshine age gap. The fact that Rachel Lacey doesn’t miss helped, as did the incredible voice work from Quinn Riley.

The former student/professor situation wasn’t overdone, and I think it added to Michelle’s initial hesitancy. Audrey was willing to look past their history, even when Michelle was keeping her guard up and being rather rude.

Michelle goes through a journey of growth after telling Audrey about her divorce and ex-wife. She slowly realizes that Audrey isn’t the same as her ex, and she finally gives the other woman an honest chance at being friends.

After Michelle finally lets her guard down a little, the friendship blooms between the pair. Audrey being able to hold conversations with Michelle that are actually about things that interest her, including her passion, women in art.

The spice in this book was so good. The pottery wheel – Immaculate. The tension, the giving in from Michelle, and the heart doodles? Ugh, my heart was so ready for them to give into one another.

When they finally give in and accept that they are more than just friends was great, even if Audrey wanted to try to keep it casual to protect her job.

I also loved the nods to previous books! Anna Moss, Eden Sands, and Natalie Keane getting mentioned was a fun little Easter egg. I'm a little bummed Brie didn't get mentioned, but I don't recall either Audrey or Michelle reading romance novels.

Over all, I loved everything about this book. I loved Audrey and her exuberance, Michelle and her initial stoicism, Muse and the journey Michelle takes with her (I love a pet in a book!), and finally, the happy ending that both Audrey and Michelle deserved.

The slow burn 🔥 was BURNING 🥵.

In all honesty, this was the perfect fall sapphic book. Two professors with a small miscommunication, age gap, but unwavering in being each other’s cheerleaders. 📣. Vermont and UK rep. Love a jaded grumpy professor and a fresh ball of sunshine full of ideas 💡.

Perfect cozy fall read.

If there is ever a story with an age gap romance, but within appropriate boundaries, with the older woman having some sort of late-blooming experience, sign me up. Toot suite.

“Learning Curves” is a heart-warming story about a former student returning to her alma mater to teach. As luck would have it, the professor she formally crushed on is now her colleague. Michelle, the colleague with the beautiful British accent, is a newly divorced woman who has lost her passion for teaching art history. Audrey is the newcomer, the new professor who is teaching temporarily, bringing bright new eyes and a zest to the art department. Audrey is the only person in the department interested in seeing past Michelle‘s cold façade.

As with all the great romance stories written only by a select few, the best ones take some time to sizzle. They take some time to spark. In this story, Audrey takes her time to get to know Michelle in a new way, despite Michelle’s effervescent beauty. Michelle decides to tear down her walls to allow Audrey in, allowing herself to have a friendship within the department. And as great love stories go, the heat turns up from there.

And the heat, dear Lord, the heat. Rachel Lacey always turns it up and never disappoints. She doesn’t make things spicy for spice's sake; she puts them in at appropriate times, convincing us of the relationship's genuineness and the partners' true desires before throwing us into the unquenchable fire.

One of the most beautiful aspects of the story is Michelle‘s need to overcome her insecurities about herself as not only a professor but also a romantic partner. The story covers this topic with grace, dignity, and a massive amount of warmth and love.

And then we get to the audiobook experience. As if I think I’ve worn my earballs out with Quinn Riley’s voice, she blows me away as if it were the first time I heard her tell me a story. In true Riley fashion, she holds the emotional tension of this story. She brings the slow burn aspect to its incredible climax (both figuratively and quite literally) between Audrey and Michelle. Multiple times. ;-) Who needs a third-act breakup when we have Quinn Riley tugging on our heartstrings the entire time? And thank God Rachel Lacey spared us from the third-act breakup because we didn’t need it. She created enough tension in the storyline that a gutwrenching sob fest was unnecessary.

This one will be a comfort lesson for me for many years. It’s a beautiful, tender story, and Michelle and Audrey might be my favorite couple yet. 

This was phenomenal! The perfect sapphic romance for the Fall season!

Audrey ends up teaching at the university she attended and the professor she had a crush on, Michelle, is now her peer. They have to navigate this new dynamic while realizing there’s some unresolved feelings between them. These ladies have such a sweet (and spicy 🤭) relationship that grows throughout the story. I promise, the shenanigans they get up to at the pottery wheel and in Michelle’s office make this book absolutely worth the read!

The way that Rachel wrote this story pulled me in immediately and had me hooked! Michelle’s grumpy, black cat energy and Audrey’s sunshiny, golden retriever energy were so fun to read. The back and forth, and the tension, I spent the whole first half of the book wondering when they were going to cave to it! Once they do, we get the best spice. They just work so well together despite being opposites.

I also loved how passionate both Audrey and Michelle are about women in art. I enjoy reading stories about people who are deeply interested in a special topic and want to share it with the world. It’s so refreshing to see these women working together and sharing their love of art with the world.

I was fortunate enough to get an early copy of the ebook and the audiobook for this one and it made the experience even better! The narrator, Quinn Riley, really brought the story of Audrey and Michelle to life. I loved how she made each character’s personality shine through with the narration.

Thank you so much to Rachel for the early copies, I loved this so much!

Learning Curves was super cute. The Vermont setting is gorgeous—I swear I could almost feel the crisp mountain air. Total cozy vibes.

Michelle and Audrey were both really interesting and layered, and I loved watching their relationship unfold. It’s a slow burn for sure BUT there’s a pottery wheel scene that… worth it!

That said, the middle dragged a bit for me. It wasn’t enough to pull me out of the story, but I definitely noticed the pace slowing down.

If you’re into sapphic romances with a beautiful setting, lots of heart, and characters who feel like real people, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

This book was fantastic! I could not stop listening. It was fun, romantic, and spicy! I usually don't like slow burns, but this one kept me engaged the whole time! I loved the character build-up. Michelle and Audrey's relationship development was realistic (in my opinion), and I love that the spice wasn't heavy and oversaturated, but it was a nice amount. This was so beautifully written!

The narrator was fantastic at playing all the different characters. I usually don't do one-narrator stories, but this narrator was exceptional. I will have to add her to my list of narrators I want to listen to more. I really enjoyed this! Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Rachel Lacey for the ALC!

I desperately wanted to love this and I honestly think it had the potential to make me fall for it but somewhere in the middle just lost me. I liked the beginning and I liked the end but the end fell really flat in a way that disconnected me from their story because it made the moment they finally kissed (the second time in the classroom) feel unearned.

I received this as an ARC and ALC, below is my own honest review.

I adore Rachel Lacey’s books and I adore Quinn Riley’s narration. Put those two together and what do you get? Another amazing book!!

Former student/University Professor! What a great combination. I really do enjoy Rachel’s writing, it’s such an easy, cosy vibe but also is packed full of plot and character development. She has such a gift for story telling and is 100% an auto-buy author for me, as much as Quinn is an auto-listen narrator. I just know I’ll never be let down by these two, they make you feel safe!

That goddam pottery scene!! Holy hell!! So much longing and yearning and lust!! I loved every second of it! Slow burns never feel like a slow burn with Rachel Lacey.

Also loved that Eden Sands and Natalie Keane got a shoutouts!

As this was also an ALC I wanted to take a moment for Quinn Riley, if you’ve listened to anything she’s narrated you know how amazing she is. She did a phenomenal job at being Rachel’s characters to life, the emotions she portrays in her performance are on point and done perfectly! She has such a beautiful way of fully submerging you into the story and making you feel all the feelings along side the characters. 👏🏻

Written in Third Person with 2x POV’s. Slow Burn, Age Gap (15 years), Grumpy x Sunshine, Former Crush, Workplace Romance, Starting Over. 4x Spicy Scenes (there is another two but it’s non descriptive/F2B).

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK! Did I read the ARC and then immediately listen to the ALC? I did. No regrets. What Rachel did with this story was nothing short of incredible. Especially after reading the acknowledgements and understanding just how much research and thought went into this story. Phenomenal! The slow burn in this book was sooo good! You know...the kind of slow burn where the characters have been fighting it for so long that eventually all that built up longing just explodes and nothing else exists in that moment. Yeah…🥵 But sexual chemistry aside, these two were truly perfect for each other. They just understood each other in ways it was clear that neither of them had experienced before. The kind of understanding that makes you feel seen and alive in ways you can't explain. I absolutely love that all of their “firsts” were these perfectly imperfect moments - the event that sparked the beginning of their friendship, their first kiss, their first time, and even the first I love yous. Also, a huge shout out for the healthy communication between these two! It was so refreshing to see and I loved watching them navigate the dynamics of their relationship as it progressed. It was beautiful. Also - YAY for the Stars Collide easter egg!! I truly can’t say enough good things about this book. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would!

And I of course have to talk about the incredible Quinn Riley and her flawless narration of this story! Quinn brought Audrey and Michelle to life so beautifully - she truly captured their essence and personalities to a T - from Audrey’s bubbly personality to Michelle’s reserved and somewhat prickly nature, not to mention her British accent! Every character was distinct and the emotions felt raw and real. And the spicy scenes…absolutely swoon worthy narration and writing! 🫠That epilogue though… ::fans self::

I truly can’t say enough good things about this book. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would!

This was such an incredibly well done story and narration! Super thankful to the author for the ALC!

Learning Curves is a sapphic romance in an academia setting with a former student/teacher dynamic!

Quinn Riley was incredible in bringing these characters to life. Our two FMCs, Audrey and Michelle really feel so relatable. Their story, too, absolutely resonated with me. I saw myself in both characters at different times and was completely invested in the plot.

The age gap sapphic romance??? Yes please. All the boxes checked. I enjoyed the slow burn, the yearning, and the evolution of their relationship. Watching Michelle gain her confidence and light back was something special.

Y'all, I write long reviews sometimes and this will be one, so if you're in a hurry, just pre-order this audiobook now. It's amazing.

Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey is everything one hopes for when looking for a mild drama romance with spice read, at least for me. Audrey Lind, a new professor at her former alma mater, is hired to teach ceramics and a new class Women in Art. Dr. Michelle Thompson was Audrey's professor when she was a student and inspired Audrey to pursue her career in academia over a decade ago. Now both women are officed in the same hall and on the same faculty committee. Audrey couldn't be more ecstatic to work with her previous mentor and secret crush, but Thompson doesn't seem the same as Audrey remembers. She comes off cold, uninspiring, and disconnected from the work that she was once passionate about.

The story is one of appreciating where you've been, self-reflection, acknowledging when you've outgrown your current circumstance, and taking action.

I have to give Rachel Lacey a shout out for writing such a mature and levelheaded reaction scene when mutual attraction is finally recognized. I literally said, "thank you!" out loud in the way Rachel wrote the scene and the scene that followed after. I adored both of these MCs and felt proud of them as they both handled themselves with such class. I'm a big fan of character accountability when it's warranted, it being direct and absolute, and Lacey delivers that here. The buildup and spice in this book are well done and take my advice, don't listen to this while on a long drive without your wife. You'll want to turn around and go home. I don't know if Rachel Lacey has been on a faculty committee, but I have, and she couldn't have written that aspect of the book more accurately. The hobbies and passions of the characters come off realistic and engaging. The details are beautiful, and I literally looked up pottery classes in my area after I finished this book.

It's narrated by Quinn Riley, so it goes without saying that the dialogue is on point, the spicy scenes deliver, and the settings are described artistically. She has found her calling as a narrator.

Thank you for Rachel Lacey for the ALC in exchange for a review.