After reading Just Like that I jumped in to Just Like this and it's as good as book one. Really loved it and Cannot Recommend it enough to all readers.

A Must read for every reader.

Thank you for letting me read and review these books. This series is so good! It just keeps getting better with each book. I can't wait for what is next for Cole McCade.

While I didn't like this quite as much as Just Like This, I still really enjoyed it. Damon and Rian were great togethers both separately and together, and I'm glad we got to see more of the students and staff at Albin Academy.

i love when books set in the same place reference characters from previous books even if they are all technically stand-alones!! it was great to be back at albin academy and i enjoyed the few references to fox and summer from cole's previous book here.

i thought the story was fun, but nothing too attention-grabbing and i wasn't as enamored of the characters in this one as i was with fox and summer. i do however love how cole writes emotional/relationship development and realistic slowburn, and the realistic elements he brings to these characters and this story. i thought the story could maybe use a little bit more.

This was Cole's second book of teachers falling in love at Albin Academy. And let me tell you that the first chapter introduced an argument between the main characters that felt just as reasonable between estranged parents about a wayward son.

The 'son', Chris Northcote, is a main feature of the mystery that is this whole novel. What is going on with this particular student. Why is he not attending the classes and football practices that he's meant to be doing? Why does he always seem so tired? What's effecting his grades?

Throughout the course of trying to solve this puzzle, Rian and Damon get thrown together again and again. Damon backs off from his initially very aggressive stance, and Rian ends up being a rich kid grown up who doesn't actually have all that much in the way of communication skills.

One of the fun things about this book is that it references Summer and Fox from Just Like That.

Again, the characters are very similar to others I've seen written by this author, but it was enjoyable just the same.

I may not have enjoyed this one like I did the first but I liked it none the less.
I absolutely love this author's writing style and was not disappointed to be brought back to Albin Academy for more. The opposites attract trope is very present here along with needing to be loved and finding a place where you feel like you belong. 3.5 stars overall.

The follow-up to Just Like That takes place at the same academy for young boys as the previous one. What I love about McCade’s writing is the emotional development between the characters. Rian and Damon are extremely different teachers with different backgrounds coming together to try to help a student in trouble. Their relationship is both steamy and a bit of slow-burn simmering throughout the book.

The epilogue was my favorite part of the entire book and I listened to it three times because it was adorable. I could read at least 2 whole books just as slice-of-life of Rian and Damon’s family life.

Grade: A-

I really loved this book! The descriptions of everything are quite wordy and lyrical. The characters were complex and interesting. I did not read the first book in the series, but I definitely want to.

I quite enjoyed the first in this series. But this book fell completely flat for me.

The two main characters hated each other. Why? Because one was an art teacher and the other was a gym teacher? Completely stupid. They seemed to have zero interaction with each other before Damon went to Rian's classroom to complain about him holding a student after class. Because of that- BOOM! They hate each other.

The complete lack of concern over a student by most everyone- except Damon and Rian was just ridiculous. The explanation of the problem the student was having was ridiculous. Their hate sex wasn't even that good.

I felt nothing for any of these characters (except the teen in trouble) and they had NO chemistry. Sorry, big pass on this.

I'm supposed to write a cohesive review. Give you cons and pros of reading this book but all I can do is marvel over the emotional rollercoaster this book took me through. It's absolutely delightful with characters who are so multifaceted and a plot that isn't about action but about connecting as human beings.

the second book in the albin academy series is just as deeply emotional as the first. just like this features total opposites rian and damon joining forces to help a struggling student. they are from completely different backgrounds and do not expect to find the common ground and connection they discover as they work together.
for a category romance, this novel packs in a lot of depth and feels into the shorter format. the slow burn really allows the love story to develop organically, and you really end up feeling the strength of the connection between the characters.

**just like this will publish on november 24, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press (adores) in exchange with my honest review.

I’m loving this series so far it’s just so emotional and deep the author has such a way with language and though this is quite wordy and lyrical in tone it also provides all the deep feels.
I’m not always a fan of overly prosy books but for some reason, it doesn’t bother me with this one and the words just resounded so deeply with me.
And You do feel like you are dealing with some multi-faceted individuals with complex personalities, not cardboard cutouts or caricatures.

This series definitely concentrates more on building the connection and then nurturing it until it’s developed fully and this is enemies to lovers and very well done slow-burn.
In this second book in the series, we are dealing with the PE teacher Damon and the more flamboyant Art teacher Rian.
These two are such complete opposites that at first glance they seem like they have very little in common but as we dig deeper it becomes apparent that though very different on the surface they are both equally as lost just in very different ways.

Rian seems to have had it all, from a very affluent background and all of the advantages that money brings.
This job is his first foray into being independent of his family.
His sheltered and privileged upbringing has left him feeling rather worthless with little self-belief.
He struggles with low self-esteem and how he is perceived by others this in turn means he is often over-eager to please and wears a mask that others may perceive as superficial and shallow.
This is how Damon first perceives him that is until he digs below this outward displayed disguise to the complex individual beneath.

And Damon though he loves his parents and has had a good childhood being adopted and also from a different racial culture than them has left him feeling disconnected because of this he often feels out of place and adrift.
Rian also doesn’t at first see the true Damon seeing in him the brawny Jock when in fact he is so much more, he’s deep and very caring, a natural nurturer caring deeply about the boys in his care almost like a surrogate father.

Two individuals from totally diverse backgrounds find an unexpected connection here when their goals align.
Both concerned about a pupil under there care they take it upon themselves to dig deeper.
The more time they spend in each other’s company the closer they become and they slowly realise they're not so different.
Finding in each other something neither realised they were actually looking for.

This was actually beautiful to read and exceptionally well written as I said earlier it’s enemies to lovers slow burn M/M and it’s very well done.
I totally believed in the intense connection forming between Damon and Rian and was rooting for them every step of the way.
They also had some incredible chemistry together and got to say that epilogue was the literal icing loved it so much.
The simplicity of this story was part of its draw and I’m definitely loving this series a whole lot.
I will definitely be reading the next one that’s for sure.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Just like this (Albin Academy #2)

Overall I enjoyed this book.
I didn't realize that this was the second part to a story (my fault probably, I didn't read the full title, just part of the summary)

The book revolves around an Academy and the relationship between the teachers. In this case, the art teacher / football coach. It starts out kind of an opposites attract - hate/antagonistic relationship. Which - I love enemies to lovers romance? It's one of my favorite tropes.

Some angsty parts, but passionate book. I enjoyed it. Rating four stars due to some parts had too much description which is tedious at times.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the book in return for a review. All opinions here are my own.

3.75 Stars
This story was much more complex than I had originally thought, Enemies to lovers that seem to stay enemy a lot longer than most stories.

Rian was a privileged man that decided it was time to stand on his own two feet and fled his elite life style. Teaching art at an upscale school where parents tend to push away their kids and are also super rich seems at first an odd choice for him. Even though Rian has rebelled against his families wealth he still loves them and never felt neglected but rather misunderstood. Being at this Academy gives him the opportunity to nurture students. This gives him the first real direct purpose of his life,

Damon who coaches football at the same school couldn't be more physically different. They simply clash as their personalities don't get along. A misunderstanding over one of their students soon has them joining forces to help the distraught young man.

I just never felt the connection between the the two MC's that was starting to slowly brew. I did however get pulled into the mystery of Chris and what causes him so much torment.

I do recommend this book and even though I never fully bonded with Rian or felt the couple connected it might just be me. The book was well written and the mystery portion had me vested. I wish to thank the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this story for my reading pleasure.

If pressed I think I’d have to say that I liked Just Like This just a little bit better than Just Like That. I’m not sure why because on paper, any relationship between Rian and Damon was just as implausible as the relationship between Summer and Fox in the first book of the Albin Academy series.

Damon and Rian drove each other crazy and not in a good way, at least not at first. There was an underlying attraction that wasn’t quite quelled by their animosity toward each other. Rian would have happily ignored the school’s football coach until he burst into his studio full of accusations. As for Damon – even after he found out that his original opinion wasn’t true, he still had a hard time respecting anything about the obviously privileged art teacher. It took a while for both of their opinions to change, but then they got to know each other.

I think what I liked most about Just Like This was that these two men came together, putting their initial differences aside, for the student that they felt was theirs to protect. During that time they gained a mutual respect for each other and discovered that nothing is quite what it seems. Both of them had a past that colored the way that they looked at things in their present. Once they got beyond that, Damon realized that Rian wasn’t quite as snobby and indifferent as he thought and Rian realized that Damon wasn’t quite the brute that he first encountered. Perfectly flawed characters, my favorite kind. ❤

Just Like This consisted of characters feeling lost and that they don’t belong which many people can relate to. I loved that the main characters helped each other through their troubles and bonded by trying to help out a student they both care for. They had a lot of ups and downs, but I like how they figured out what each of their problems were and why they couldn’t communicate properly with each other. Once they figured this out, they tried to fix it enable to have a healthy relationship.

Rian Falwell is the art teacher at Alvin Academy, an exclusive boarding school for boys. It’s a place where wealthy parents send their sons who they want to hide, for lack of a better word. The boys are trouble makers who embarrass their families…out of sight, out of mind.

Rian is an ethereal sort…flowy clothing, bangle bracelets, hair down to his waist, and he’s a caring teacher. Lately, he’s noticed one of his best students, Christopher, has been acting differently. Chris is often tired and hasn’t been focused. One day, the football coach, Damon Louis, comes in shouting at Rian, wanting to know what he is doing with Christopher. Apparently Christopher has been missing football practice, telling Damon he’s staying after school to work in Rian’s classroom. Rian is confused because Christopher’s been telling him he’s late for football and must run.

Even though Rian and Damon grate on each other’s nerves and they constantly argue, they realize they must work together to figure out what’s going on with their star student. Eventually, both men’s walls of defense begin to crumble. They wind up sharing their own troubles with each other. They also begin to want each other. The road isn’t easy. They still frustrate each other, and their arguments are still legendary, but saving Christopher from himself must be their priority.

Once Christopher’s troubles are settled, can Rian and Damon put aside their differences and become the couple they want to be? Or will those differences get in the way of their true happiness?

I’m going to start by telling you book one of the Albin Academy series, Just Like That, was amazing, and that is the reason I jumped on the opportunity to read book two, Just Like This. The whole boarding school aspect of the stories fascinates me. The men are in a sort of enclosed environment. Their options are limited, and they must rely on each other. The situations felt real, especially in this installment. Teachers always express concern for troubled students, and they feel responsibility for them. Here, even though Rian and Damon don’t get along, that concern and responsibility is more important than their personal feelings.

I loved both Rian and Damon. They were fundamentally good men, even though they grew up in extraordinary situations: Rian in a wealthy home where he felt like he didn’t belong, and Damon in a loving home where he wasn’t sure who he truly was. Their chemistry was off the charts, once again, even though their personalities clashed. Their fall was slow and full of road blocks. Every time it seemed as if their walls were going to collapse, when they’d begin to let each other in, a new conflict would arise. I have to say, this was really my only knock on Just Like This. The whole will they/won’t they, are they/aren’t they section of the book got a little tedious and dragged a bit. Thankfully, the dam broke, and when it did, it was perfect.

I’d like to take a moment to talk about the author’s writing style. There’s only one word for it, and that is “poetic.” The words flowed beautifully, and I was completely caught up in not only the story, but the pure beauty of the writing. Here is an example. It’s the first kiss Rian and Damon share:

Because he could say anything else, Damon let out a frustrated, breathless growl. And jerked Rian roughly close as he bent over him, that sizzling presence swarming over him, the cool dampness of Damon’s hair pouring over his cheeks as those angry, firm, ever-so-sensuous lips descended on Rian’s to capture him in a kiss
Rian froze. Heat crashed over him in an onslaught, and before his mind could tell him don’t do this every ounce of pent-up fury and frustration and loneliness and wanting inside him burst and took control. HIs arms slid around Damon’s neck, and he buried his fingers in the cool slick of wet hair that practically steamed against the burning flame of Damon’s burnished skin, the tight muscles flexing in his neck and thrumming with the low rumble that blead between them as Rian parted his lips, and gave his mouth to Damon’s with a hunger Rian hasn’t known he possessed.

A hunger to consume…and be consumed.

Wow. That left me speechless!

Now, I don’t want to give too much away. I will say, as I already mentioned, the issues with Christopher felt very real to me. None of it felt like a reach against reality. It all made perfect sense, and I was pleased with how it turned out.

Speaking of please, I was so happy with Rian and Damon’s love story. The epilogue summed it up perfectly, and it gave me such a warm, happy feeling. I was very happy with Just Like This on the whole. It was an excellent follow up to the first book. In fact, it may have been (in my opinion at least) a little better than Just Like That. I absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend this book…both books…and I think you should pick them up. They’re fantastic and so enjoyable.

3.5 Stars

C/W: Talks of parental abandonment and implied underage-drug use.

I'm always excited to read an author's take on all-boys' boarding schools because while I spent my school years at an all-girls school, it is a world that does make a good canvas for a story. Cole McDade perfectly delivered in terms of the environment and I was sucked back into what I enjoyed and didn't about my experience.

I loved the highlighted romance and the talks about not-fitting in whether it be in the character's families, ethnic groups or social circles. I genuinely can't recall a moment where I didn't think that McDade had intentions for his characters set out and you could trust him. My favourite part though was how he wrote teacher's actually caring about their students because there are teachers out there who care and work very hard to show that care.

I think where this story slows down is that, as a reader, I was way more concerned for Chris (the student) than the romance between Rian and Damon.

Either way, I am a fan and look forward to reading more of McDade's works.

Thank you to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN-Carina Press for providing me with an e-arc of "Just Like This" in exchange for an honest review.

Some parts of this book were a bit over the top, but it generally fit together in a dramatic whole. I generally liked the characters and, with a bit of suspension of belief, it's a fun read.

Although I had mixed feelings about the first book in this series, Just Like That, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read and review this story. I always like to give an author more than one chance since so many factors can influence a read. Plus, there were things I really liked about that first book. And while I wouldn’t classify this story as a “must read”, it definitely was a wonderful book that I’m glad I got to read.

Rian and Damon have amazing chemistry throughout the entire book. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to kiss already! They had such a strong pull, but also such a strong push. Both internalizing way too much leading to tons of misunderstandings and hurt feelings. There were times the author, in my opinion, was too wordy. Yet it was nothing like my thoughts from the first book where I was literally skimming huge chunks before of the over abundance of descriptions.

On top of the will they/won’t they part of this story, the thing that brought these two together really kept me invested in the book. There’s a student in trouble, but what exactly is the trouble? Both Damon and Rian have huge hearts and truly care about their students as if they are their own flesh and blood. It’s tearing them up inside to see one of the kindest, most talented students wither to a shell of himself right in from of them. So, as much as these two men attempt to keep their distance from one another, their devotion to their students keeps throwing them back together.

This story is by no means perfect. There was a bit of wordiness and some timeline issues. But overall, I was fully invested in the story and the characters. As with the first book, there is an overall melancholy feel to this story. There’s a definite HEA and a lot of hope throughout, though.