Stunning!

The characters in Cole McCade’s Albin Academy series are intricate and thoroughly developed; and these are some of the most interesting relationships I’ve ever read. Hurt/Comfort on an entirely different level, the romances are heartbreakingly beautiful and completely satisfying.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Cole McCade, and I’ve got to say this author writes some smoking hot sex scenes! Like literally, almost too hot to read. Plus, I did the audio version, and Tim Todd gives an absolutely scintillating performance.

There’s an interesting mystery in Just Like This and we get to know even more of the staff and students of Albin Academy. Cole McCade has created a fascinating community and I’m anxiously awaiting the next episode!

Another sucessful Opposites Attract from Cole McCade.
Honestly, if his name is on it, I'll read it.

In this one, we're back in Albin Academy, an all boys boarding school in Omen, Massachusetts, where the rich and powerful send their sons to forget they exist for a while.

This is the story of the hippie art teacher and the football coach and it delivers exactly what it sets out to do.
I was touched by not only Rian and Damon's relationship but also by their afftection for their students.

Having lived in one such campus myself, I know how important a role teachers and coaches play on these kids' lives and I'm so glad it was part of the narrative.

Heat Factor: 🍆🍆🍆
Character Chemistry: I might recommend therapy over a relationship, but it is what it is
Plot: Student is in trouble, teachers Rian and Damon process a lot of feelings
Overall: Longiloquent is not an inapt descriptor for this book

If there’s one thing Cole McCade knows how to do, it’s putting words together really well. His vocabulary is off the scale, which is something I appreciate as one who enjoys perfect word choice and proper word use. He also writes evocatively and in such a way that sort of swirls the reader into the moment. This book is no exception. Like, for example, I never imagined that I, personally, would ever find one character saying another character’s name to be really, truly erotic, but then this happened:

Rian sniffed, tilting his head back to look up at Damon upside down. “A cooking knife is very different from an X-Acto knife, thank you, Mr. Louis.”
“Damon. But don’t say it the way you did before.”
With mock innocence, Rian rounded his eyes, the eyeliner ringing them turning that hazel into stark, liquid gold. “How did I say it before? Damon.”
Like that. Just like that, rolling and whispering and sighing as if he was wrapping that pale, soft mouth over the arches and curves and points of every letter, tonguing their corners and caressing their peaks and long straight lines.

That said, McCade trends angsty, which evokes big feels, which is a great dopamine hit, but the angst in this book just didn’t hit the right notes for me. I believe this is because there’s not much happening and there are soooooooooooo many feeeeeeeeeeeeeelings being processed aaaaaaaaaall the time. Like, Rian, I think you don’t need to run away to a school in the wilds of Massachusetts and have super hot sex with the football coach, I think you probably would benefit from some therapy. A lot. Damon can go, too, because he’s not exempt from angsty feelings processing, but at least he doesn’t reach masturbatory-level angsty wallowing.

Plus, from an administrative protocol standpoint, the whole (plot) situation with Rian and Damon trying to figure out what’s wrong with this student stressed me out like crazy. What are two untrained (for this situation) teachers doing being responsible for sleuthing out the questionable behavior of a student? At first this is addressed when the assistant principal (who I really hope gets his hair mussed in the next book with the hot mess chemistry teacher) argues that really there’s nothing wrong happening, so until he gets more evidence of wrongdoing his hands are tied. But when the student collapses in class, there’s definitely got to be a protocol for that, and Rian and Damon go all rogue papa bear getting up in that business, and I’m just…not okay with that.

So where I ultimately fell on this book was essentially that the problem forcing the proximity between the protagonists - the issue with their mutual student - didn’t feel quite right, and I was not particularly excited about the quantity of angsty feelings that Rian and Damon processed as they navigated their (extremely rocky) relationship.

Bonus points: Damon is a huge fan of the Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

3/5

***SPECIAL THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HARLEQUIN - Carina Press FOR PROVIDING ME WITH A COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***

This book is fine. I was entertained throughout most of the book, but it did not really stand out to me. (BTW this is the first and only book I have read in the series so that might have something to do with it)

I love the boarding school aesthetic, so I was super excited to pick up this novel and dive into that world. Although I was brought into the world I think there may have been an excess of flowery language, it really is a book that puts everything on the page and doesn't leave much to the reader's interpretation (definitely more of a tell not show sort of book), so if that if your cup of tea you will probably enjoy it.

The characters were okay, but I felt a bit of a disconnect towards the main characters, despite the fact that we are really put into their minds and emotions.

While my review may sound negative, I actually did enjoy this book. It is a fun read that goes by pretty quickly. While I would not re-read this book I am happy that I read it and had a fun time doing so.

I’m so happy that I was given the chance by Carina Press to jump into Just Like This after reading its first installment earlier this year. Frankly, the author’s writing style is something I enjoy, so I was so excited that this series continues on.

Just Like This still revolves around Albin Academy, this time telling the relationship of the art teacher and the football coach. It’s a type of an opposites attract relationship and I loved how slow burning the book’s flow was. The tension is sizzling and the build up was so good. I love being caught inside their minds.. it’s was truly an awesome experience to see the push and pull between these two hesitant lovers.

If you’re a fan of angsty things, you’ll enjoy this read, as both our leads have gone through shitty things in life that made them more careful or guarded at their adulthood. There are social class discussions, especially about wealth and privilege. But the deep parts are balanced out by banter, fun, and some steamy scenes, too.

All in all, this story was able to deliver passion and that epilogue is so special to me! I just loved the entire experience! Giving this book all the stars!

Just Like This is the second installment in the Albin Academy series. I absolutely adored Just Like That, the first book in the series. So, I was really eager to read this book.

The story is about Damon, the gym teacher, and Rian, the art teacher, who come to realize that one of their A students, Chris, has been lying to them as to where he's been. They're worried and want to understand what's going on with Chris especially because of his worrisome behavior/look. Unfortunately, both teachers cannot stand each other, but their genuine concern will force them to put their anger/hate aside. Both will find more than they bargained for.

This enemy-to-lover romance is heartwarming as the characters learn so much about themselves. They fight their own demons and while fighting this attraction. The chemistry is great between them. The characters are really fleshed out and the story unfolds nicely. The mystery around what happened to Chris adds enough suspense to keep the story going. The only thing that made me rate this book 4 instead of 5 is that the characters spend a lot of time in their heads, and I found myself skimming through a lot. Though I love the story - I just felt it could have used less exploration into their doubts and fears.

Apart from that, I love the story, the characters, and the ending is just beautiful. Just Like This is a sweet romance and a fast read.

While this is the second book in a series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. Supporting characters overlap in the story, and the main characters from the first book do appear briefly. I would have liked to have seen more of Summer and Fox from the first book, but still enjoyed Rian’s and Damon’s story.

Both Damon and Rian are a bit lost and looking for somewhere to belong, a way to feel comfortable with who they are. Their initial interactions with each other in the story are full of animosity. Neither is comfortable or recognizes their attraction off the bat and are confused and frustrated by their pull towards each other.

Rian feels undeserving of things that he doesn’t feel like he’s earned. When he feels threatened he runs. He truly cares, but feels hollow and doesn’t know how to show it all the time.

Damon cares deeply for the students and does his best to make all of his players feel like they belong. He treats his team like a family. He feels like a piece of himself is missing, but doesn’t feel like he has the right to claim it because of the way he was raised.

While initially, all they can seem to do is hurt each other, ultimately Damon and Rian bring out the best in each other. They help the other feel loved and that they belong and are accepted.

This was another great read! I’m looking forward to more from this author.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Harlequin and Carina Press through Net Galley for a Blog Tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I adored everything about this book. The differing background Rian and Damon brought to the situation made for interesting conversations. Although Damon came onto the scene in a rather unlikeable way, I loved that as Rian got to know him, my opinion of Damon changed just as much as Rian's did. I'm always a sucker for a quirky character and Rian fit that perfectly. While the resolution of the mystery around Chris was a little far fetched, it is totally like a teenager to do something so ill-conceived, so it worked. The epilogue was adorable and tied the whole thing up nicely.

RIan and Damon are a teacher and coach at the Albin Academy and they are concern about a student that has been skipping his class and football practice. They are friends but are attracted to each other and they need to figure out what is happening to Chris. The two are at each other when ever they are around and I enjoyed their banter. The book is well-written and will have your attention from start to finish and I enjoyed it.

This second book in Cole McCade’s series set at Albin Academy, a prestigious New England boarding school where wealthy parents send their (often) problematic sons in order to forget about them, is an antagonists-to-lovers story between the school’s football coach and its art teacher, a couple who couldn’t be more different if they tried. Just Like This finds this chalk-and-cheese couple reluctantly working together to help one of their students, and although it’s as insightful and beautifully written as the previous instalment, the writing can be overly detailed and a little florid, and the pacing really slows around the middle section of the book.

Art master Rian Falwell is surprised – to say the least – when the school’s PE teacher, Damon Louis appears in his studio demanding to know why one of his football players keeps missing practice. Rian is at a complete loss – and not a little bit annoyed at the other man’s rude, overbearing manner- until finally, Damon comes to the point; his star player, sixteen-year-old Chris Northcote, has repeatedly been late to practice because he’s been staying in art class after school, and for the last week, he hasn’t turned up at all. Damon demands to know why Rian is making Chris stay behind, his accusatory tone completely ruffling Rian’s feathers the wrong way. When Rian coolly – and somewhat snootily – explains that he’s doing nothing of the sort and that Chris gets out of his class as soon as possible saying he’s got football practice, Rian and Damon realise the boy has been lying to both of them – and that given he’s the sort of kid who’s doing well in school, is well-liked and never in trouble, he must be lying for what he thinks is a good reason. Which meant, in every mind except that of a desperate sixteen-year-old, it was probably a pretty fucking bad reason.

They go to see Assistant Principal Walden to express their concerns, and are frustrated at his response that as Chris isn’t failing in class or breaking any rules, there is little they can do, and by his instruction not to contact the boy’s parents unless they have very good reason to do so. Appalled by such a heartless response, Rian and Damon decide to take it upon themselves to try to find out what’s going on.

That’s the basic plotline and the impetus for the romance between Rian and Damon. They’re interesting, complex characters who come from very different backgrounds, have very different life experiences and yet, as they spend time together and get to know each other better, realise they’re both looking for the same thing, somewhere to belong and to feel loved and valued. Rian comes from money and has never really had to work for anything or do anything for himself. He’s a talented artist and felt suffocated by his family, as if he was only important to them as something pretty to be shown off and exhibited, so a few years earlier he decided enough was enough and struck out on his own when he took the job at Albin. He’s determined to stand on his own two feet and prove he’s worth something other than his or his parents’ bank balance, which sometimes causes him to try overly hard to do things for people and fix things. Damon is an adoptee of Indigenous descent, but knows nothing about his birth-parents or which nation he descends from, which leaves him in an uncomfortable limbo, feeling disconnected from his heritage. I loved watching them gradually shedding their preconceptions about each other and finding that common ground.

I was completely hooked for around the first third of the book; I wanted to know what was going on with Chris, and the chemistry and the push-and-pull between the two leads is intense and really well done. Their frustration and attraction (and frustrated attraction;)) bubbles so close to the surface that their first kiss is explosive, like the lid blowing off a pressure cooker! But things start to slow down not long after this, and the story begins to meander a bit; there isn’t a lot of progression in the Chris storyline and the back and forth I’d enjoyed at the beginning morphs into a kind of stalemate as Rian and Damon start to put obstacles in the way of their having an actual relationship. The conflict here is wholly internalised and stems mostly from preconceptions and misconceptions – and a pronounced lack of communication.

Things pick up again around the three-quarter mark though, and both the plot and the romance are propelled towards a satisfying conclusion. I argued with myself over the final grade because while I really liked the plot, the characterisation and the romance, the pacing issues and the (sometimes) overly detailed internal descriptions got in the way of the story and slowed its forward momentum. Ultimately however, Just Like This deserves a recommendation, because in spite of my reservations, I did enjoy this story of two strangers brought together by a common goal who find love and home and the lives they’ve always wanted.

There is just something about relationships that start off all feisty and argumentative that end up with them kissing. I think it’s funny that at one point Rian even talks about how some of the romances start this way. Just Like This is the fun formula to follow.

Cole McCade brings a tough looking warrior face-to-face with a fey-looking artist and makes magic happen. The one characteristic they have in common is their heart and how big it is to include other people’s kids. When one student might be in trouble, they end up joining forces to “save” him.

Just Like This is at times very funny as these two men bungle their way towards each other. McCade also takes the opportunity to share some of the issues Indigenous people have today and does it with care and sensitivity.

If I was going to ask for a rom-com featuring an Indigienous person, I would ask for Just Like This. Celebrate Native American History Month with this book.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

I just could not get into this book. There was so much exposition and I didn't feel the chemistry between the two. I think the author loves words and uses descriptive language well. It was just not for me.

Rian Falwell grew up privileged just like most of his students. He left the world of money and pretense to live a life that fed his soul. Now as an art teacher, he tries to bring beauty into the world every single day. But he’s never seen anything in his life as beautiful as Albin Academy’s football coach.

Damon Louis was looking for a place to belong. Adopted as a child, he always felt out of place and it’s the reason that his students are more like family to him. So when he suspects that one of them is in trouble, he’s willing to go to any length to help. Even if it means working with the strange and unworldly attractive Rian Falwell to do it.

Neither one of them is prepared for fiery attraction that ignites between them. And they have to keep from being consumed by the flames while trying to save a life.

“That sense of isolation had always been there, even when he told himself he was trying to fall in love or even just trip over a little lust for a night or two. That sense of being separate, of not belonging, but it was always his walls they murmured about when they regretfully shook their heads and said this wasn’t going to work.
His walls, instead of the ones he felt like he saw everywhere, shutting him out.
But there had been no walls between him and Rian, tonight. Nothing but shared pain, shared need, shared hope, shared warmth.
That hadn’t felt like just sex.
It had felt like...
Too much.
Not enough.
Everything.”

In Just Like This, Cole McCade delivers his signature heat and longing with a fresh twist of quick wit. His characters appear to be polar opposites - Rian is the artist with a gypsy soul while Damon is the intense physical force. Their story is somehow tender, passionate and clever all at the same time.

It’s the kind of book that makes you forget time and space as you read it. But you’ll still feel its magic right in the heart…

Cole McCade writes beautifully. It felt at times, while I was reading Just Like This, that McCade was getting the ink for his story right out of my well of feelings. I am allergic to my own feelings and would much rather experience them by proxy through fictional characters. McCade doesn’t let me do that.

Just Like This is the second book in the Albin Academy series. Albin Academy is a boarding school mostly for boys rich families find troublesome. The teachers and staff also live at the school, which gives them plenty of time to fall in love when they aren’t teaching. Rian Falwell teaches art at the academy. Damon Louis is the football coach. Under normal circumstances they would have no reason to talk or interact, but a student, Chris, is lying to both of them. Damon storms angrily into Rian’s classroom and they immediately become antagonists. They make assumptions and jump to conclusions, but they team up anyway to find out what is wrong with Chris and how they can help him. Rian is white and comes from a wealthy family that doesn’t understand his choices. Damon is Native American, but was adopted and feels disconnected from his heritage.

As beautifully and evocatively as McCade writes, Just Like This didn’t work as well for me as Fox and Summer’s story in Just Like That. Fox and Summer are a hard act to follow, and their book grabbed me with the way it depicted anxiety and depression. I highly recommend it. For all the antagonism between Rian and Damon, there wasn’t as much tension in their relationship. It didn’t snap and sparkle. I found myself perking up whenever the starchy Assistant Principle Walden was on page.

That said, Rian and Damon were nice to spend time with. They cared about their students and as they slowly opened up to each other they became even more interesting characters. I loved the epilogue. SPOILERS: For two gay men, including one who is an indigenous man, to end up with a happy marriage and adopted children is still a radical act. END SPOILERS.

I received this as an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this; the audiobook was fantastic!

Just Like This was a wonderful story. I'm not normally a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers stories but I loved this one. It also has an opposites attract vibe going on which I liked. While I enjoyed reading this book, I have to say that the audiobook made it even better. Unless he narrates under another name, I've never listened to an audiobook performed by Tim Todd until Just Like This. There was something very compelling about his voice and it really made an impact on me.

The story itself was very engaging. I was impressed with the depth of caring that Rian and Damon showed for one of their students and the lengths they went to, to help him. Cole McCade did a great job of keeping us guessing about what was going on by using breadcrumbs and not revealing, until the end, what was going on with Chris. I did not see it coming at all!

The epilogue, set a few years in the future, was perfect. Epilogues are often my favorite part of a book and that was the case with this one. Not that I didn't love the main story, because I did, but the epilogue just made me feel all kinds of wonderful and made my eyes leak happy tears.

I don't know if there will be more books in this series but if there are, I will be reading them.

A review copy of the ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and a review copy of the audiobook direct from the publisher, but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

This was a good read, however I expected more chemistry between the main characters. Also, it was a bit long winded and too many internal monologues. A quick conversation would have solved some problems.

JUST LIKE THIS is another fantastic installment in the Albin Academy series. Taking place at a school for boys, two teachers who do not seem to care for each other come together to help a student. When Damon, the football coach, confronts Rian, the art teacher, over keeping one of his top athletes away from practice, he is surprised to learn that the same student is telling Rian he has to rush out at the end of class to go to practice. They both then realize that something bigger may be going wrong in the boy's life.

As they try to figure out a way to uncover the secrets the boy is hiding, their close interactions cause them to develop deeper feelings for each other and help them to each confront their own pasts. I love the sizzling electricity between them and the way they seem to be able to see into each other's souls. The plot around the student was also attention-grabbing, particularly after he ends up in the infirmary, raising even more questions. This was a mystery I was glad they were able to solve.

Rian and Damon were both highly empathetic characters with chemistry that was off the charts. There was tension you could cut with a knife that made this a really compelling romance. There is also plenty of steamy scenes that compliment their story well. I appreciated the push-pull and attraction between them, as well as the intellectual relationship they build as they each seek to learn more about the other.

Overall, this is another great installment in a series that I am really enjoying. Highly recommend for fans of steamy romance with characters who complement each other perfectly. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

When a students extra curricular activities start affecting his health, coach Damon Lewis reaches out to the his polar opposite, My Falwell, the arts teacher. Mutual interest in their students welfare creates strange bedfellows!

As they grudgingly work together they soon find out that there is more than mutually animosity that sparks between them. Soon they discover they are more similar than they could have imagined and the sparks between them threaten to set them aflame!

I’m a big fan of Albin Academy and the interactions between the teachers and students. They are all fighting against the world until they discover that the family they all crave is right here at Albin!

Cole McCade does an excellent job at representing the different rings of society and finds their similarities in a way that makes the reading connect to the characters on a high level.

As always, Carina Press delivers the happily ever after I crave! An intriguing read that I totally recommend!

Just Like This by Cole McCade is scheduled to release November 24th, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin and the Harlequin Publicity Team. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#JustLikeThat #ColeMcCade #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

This author is a word musician. I love this way of storytelling, it elevates a narrative above an average level, composing all the little and big parts into a beautiful flowed symphony.
There is never just a simple romance, there are always unexpected layers.

“Rian Falwell has a problem. And his name is Damon Louis.” Isn’t that a fact!

So, this story is about Rian the art teacher who got a degree in fake smiles, never learned to socialize, and Damon the football coach, who despises fake smiles, both work at the Albin Academy. They don’t like each other but have to work together to help a student who ditched classes and looks more and more exhausted.

Unraveling Rian was mesmerizing, the journey of discovering the adopted Damon and his history was as mesmerizing and palpable Two souls finding a belonging, dang that was breathtaking.
They don’t just make love, they created art.
The whispers, the murmurs, the little gestures were *gasp* impressive.

Belonging... oh my heart, the yearning so palpable.
Beautifully written journey, all those impressive sentences, this author excels here.
The characters are excellently developed, the plot is well thought out!
What is a beautiful love story without a hea, don’t worry it has a very satisfying happy ending.

“But if you try sometimes …you might just get what you need.”

3.5 stars

Just Like This is our second installment in the Albin Academy by Cole McCade.

Rian Falwell the art and dance teacher at Albin Academy comes face-to-face with the gym teacher and football coach Damon Louis when a mutual student starts sliding in football practice attendance, a mandated part of his scholarship. It soon becomes clear that the student has been playing the two teachers off on each other with lame excuses. Clearing up this issue should be easy enough but Albin Academy is a private school where children are sent by their rich parents to be forgotten. Until Rian and Damn have concrete proof something legitimately wrong or against the school rules is actually going on, his parents and even the student himself should be left out of it. To top off the tangled web of the school administration's decree, Rian and Damon can't help the wrenching antagonism that occurs during each and every one of their encounters. The two teachers agree to work together to help solve the mystery of what is going on with their student and provide support (or protection) if needed. But each interaction leaves them both feeling raw, and challenged, and vulnerable. Will they be able to get over their own issues to finds and help their student with his own?

I will preface my review by saying I have not read the first book in the series, Just Like That. I do feel that I lost some context and deeper meaning with backstories and character overlap, so... I will recommend that readers read the series in order. Overall, this book could be a stand-alone BUT, again, I felt I was missing a small piece of the puzzle.

For fans of angsty push/pull, this will be right up your alley. Rian came from a very elite white upper-crust family that allowed for him to be handed many things. However, Rian, as he grew up, decided being handed things was not as fulfilling as earning your accolades. Further that Rian had a bad habit of constantly trying to "fix" all his partners, well he came away with quite the angsty chip on his shoulder that he was working off in solitude at the Academy. Damon was adopted (and from what I could gather was he was) from the nearby indigenous tribe but he feels left out from the indigenous culture and felt abandoned by his tribal people. He has loving adopted parents and he feels disloyal to want to be part of his birth tribe. The total collective baggage these two came with was quite the haul. (Oy, the angst and fear of love and being understood.) Rian and Damon were like flint and fuel... they sparked against one another but they were scared of everything that the impending fire could create. While, I enjoy working through issues together in a coupledom and working past hang-ups, and growing both together and individually, I felt like a lot of the interactions were maybe overly complicated?

The author writes beautifully and the layered intrigue on each page was definitely apparent. I, however, found the constant flowery, flowy descriptiveness maybe a bit verbose at times. I had a difficult time fully getting a feel for the characters and their motivations as sometimes their language and internal thoughts were so over the top?? Further, while the descriptiveness was there and the writing evoked an airiness to the writing, I didn't particularly feel the chemistry between Rian and Damon. Nor did I really think that BOTH characters should both have such descriptive inner monologues. (What do I know. I can hardly write a story any better than my 10-year-old.)

Little safety brigade comment here: I was a little disappointed we didn't have even a flicker of discussion about protection or the lack thereof nor preferences. But. That is my hang up and by no means telling the author what to do.

Overall, Just Like This is a beautifully written story about two seemingly opposite people coming together to help a student and find the missing parts of themselves in each other. The epilogue was heartwarming. I am curious as to where the series will go next (after I go read Just Like That).

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*